29 November 2014

200th Challenge!

Can you believe?
"Less is More" is publishing its 200th Challenge!

Sarah here...
This week we are celebrating 200 challenges!
So have some fun with our
 
 CELEBRATIONS 
themed week
200 challenges to think up, write up, select winners,
create, comment, challenge others ...
that's one colossal task and my first card is in 
honour of our fabulous leader at Less is More ...
Congratulations and heartfelt thanks
Cheers and a toast to 
CHRISSIE
who literally is 'Simply One of a Kind'

... from day one at Less is More and 
she's still as keen, kind and encouraging as ever.
This used: 
My Favorite Things: Diagonal Background Stamp
which I've inked with chalk ink in sea breeze then covered with clear
embossing powder and heat set. Another Jennifer McGuire tone on tone tip.
Clearly Besotted: Congrats Word Die & You're A Star stamp set
Memory Box: Mini star dies
MFT Die-namics: Blueprints 15 & Fishtail Flag dies


Card recipe:
Pink Petticoat: Background DP
MFT Die-namics: Blueprints 15
Mama Elephant: Landscape trio dies
Uniko Studio: 'celebrate' sentiment - Flower Power 1
Clearly Besotted: 'the season' sentiment - Rockin' Robin
Winnie & Walter: It's a Wonderful Pennant stamps
Stampin' up: Candy Dots
~
In honour of our special week and as it's also a 5 Saturday month we have a 

Guest Designer 
and this time we are delighted to welcome a LIMette who has contributed to practically ALL of those 200 challenges ... it's 
(Daizy Mae) 


I layered some Pale Turquoise card over my White Linen base card.
I then added a few strips of spotty net,white embossed card and silver paper.
I stamped my Penny Black sentiment on more Turquoise card and added some
twine. I highlighted the first letter using my Glamour dust and quickie glue pen.
A few silver sequins completed my card.
~
More details are on Viv's blog... do visit her to leave a congratulatory comment!


This is a CASE of a card from a LIMette challenge a couple of months or so back, but I'm ashamed to say I can't remember whose card so I can credit her, please let me know if you're reading this!  Legs are from a Julie Nutting Prima stamp (the version I cased had a chap's legs in jeans), sentiment is by Magenta and the red Stickles came out again for the shoes.

Here is a really simple card. 
Black card base, white embossing powder, a little colour added to the champagne with watercolour pencils and given a little shine with Glossy Accents.
We managed to get half a dozen bottles of Champagne with a RRP of £25.99 each for £8 per bottle from Tesco... excellent value just in time for Christmas! It's probably what gave me the idea for this card.
Stamps by Stampin' Up

I received this card from Anne this week... I have been so blessed by the dedication and friendship of my two fellow designers (as this post is testament to)
Do please visit your co-contributors to leave a friendly word... it is SO appreciated!

As ever, the DT have additional cards on their personal blogs to give you further inspiration. They would ALL love to have you visit them and leave a comment too!
Over to you now and thank you so much for 
another bumper week of entries with the 'JINGLE' theme.
It really makes for an exciting and satisfying week just
seeing how popular the LIM challenges are.
Well done all of you and thanks for your continued support.
Here's to the next 200 challenges.
Please Note ALL SUBMISSIONS should be CLEAN AND SIMPLE CARDS with links to no more than 5 CHALLENGES in total.
***

28 November 2014

ShowCASe Week 198

We had the most fabulous response to our More Than One Tree, with some truly wonderful submissions and we could have showcased so many!
These are Anne's favourites this week!

SHOWCASE WEEK 198

Stunning tree scene, loads of white space, CAS perfection for me!

 Wonderful colouring of the trees and set in a fab CAS scene

Vibrant, opulent 'white space' and flawless stamping.

showCASed
Here is our ShowcCASe badge ladies... what wonderful work...and thank you!

Be sure to join us for our special 200th Challenge tomorrow.... and we have a Guest Designer joining us, a very special LIMette!

See you then!

22 November 2014

Week 199

Here's another chance for you to continue with your Christmas card preparations as our challenge this week is entitled
Jingle all the Way!
For this we would like to see some reference to any of these things.... bells, reindeer, Santa, elves, stockings, presents, decorations, Christmas songs/music/instruments... in fact anything Christmassy!

Before you see the cards from us, I would just like to say a huge 
THANK YOU 
on your behalf to both 
Sarah and Anne
for their tireless work in visiting and commenting on EVERY submission to our challenges.
Not many challenges can boast that the DT comment on SO many entries.
What very special people they are! True LIMettes!
Thank you girls, you are absolute stars!

Sarah
(Sarah has a link to the tutorial she used for this with other fab examples on her personal blog!)

The 'jingle bells' image is from Pink Petticoat; 
it's coloured with Derwent Coloursoft pencils,
drizzled with Wink of Stella, generously coated with glossy accents
then left to dry overnight.

Next day ... distress inking to the background before 
spritzing with water and Perfect Pearls.
I've used textured embossing paste on the panel behind the circle, 
Mama Elephant: Index card dies, sentiment from Uniko Studio 
with some gems and twine to finish
 (she has an hilarious card on her personal blog... you must visit to take a look!)
A DL card for a change.  I found an image of Jingle Bells music using Google and cut a strip including the margin.  Added a bit of Old Paper Distress Ink, stamped Tim Holtz trees and added a Tim Holtz diecut word.
I used a whole bunch of die-cuts for this card.
The wreath (x2) is Memory Box, the holly - Impression Obsession, the sentiment from WPlus9 and the jingle bells from Memory Box. The mounts were cut with Spellbinder square dies. 
As ever I have a few more cards for you to see, I love to see you on my personal blog too!

This is a week to have fun!
If you don't have stamps for this week,  there are various digi images which can be easily found!
SO go on... enjoy yourselves!
***



21 November 2014

ShowCASe week 197

We saw some WONDERFUL work last week for our Starry Starry Night Challenge.
As usual there were one or two submissions which missed the ONE LAYER stipulation but there was some terrific work.
We're sure you'll agree that the ShowCASe this week is truly spectacular!
Here they are!
Wonderful inking and perfect stamping!

Superb combination of stamps and perfect placement.

 
Just look at this jaw dropping scene!
That sky is just wonderful!
Another example of fabulous inking and stamping!

Please take our ShowCASe badge with our grateful thanks!

showCASed
Another challenge will begin tomorrow at 8am,  so do be sure to join us then!

15 November 2014

Week 198 Theme

We thought we would continue with a theme this week which would allow you to continue  increasing your stack of Christmas  cards... if you choose to take a seasonal take on the challenge, although it's not necessary.
So today we would like to see
MORE THAN ONE TREE
That should give you plenty of scope!
Remember to keep it clean and simple... a few cards seem to creep into our challenges which stray from our prime directive; one layer cards are ALWAYS welcome although not essential unless it's the second Saturday of the month!
Here are our examples, although as ever we've all prepared extra cards for you to see on our personal blogs, so do be sure to try to check them out!
THANK YOU!

 Perfect challenge for me, I love tree stamps!
Waltzing Mouse Flurries trees and snowflakes with a Lawn Fawn sentiment, some gems and ric-rac.


I imagine that some of you might have come to expect something a little like this from me with a topic like this. 
The stars (SU Gorgeous Grunge splats) were clear embossed and then the snow hills were inked with Distress inks using sponge daubers over a torn piece of Post it  used as a mask.
The stitched dies are from Lawn Fawn and the sentiment was computer generated in All things Pink font.

Using Clearly Besotted: Joy to the World set I've used 
silver and green inks with additional stamping for shadows
to create a snowy forest scene. 
I've used a sizzix embossing folder of mini dots to give the impression of snow, 
snow mounds die cut using Mama Elephant: Landscape trio dies,
Sentiment is CBS: Signature Christmas
and to finish some gems to the trees from my stash.

***


14 November 2014

ShowCASe Week 196

ShowCASe for our colour challenge 
Non-traditional Christmas
What an amazing number of fabulous entries we had for this Colour challenge, choosing was an absolute delight!
These are Sarah's favourites this time
 
I adore this one so much I've even had to hunt down the embossing folder! 
It's amazingly simple yet so sophisticated especially with the black ribbon and gems.
The silver version is fabulous too.
Several people have asked about this embossing folder which Loli used

CRAFTS TOO EMBOSSING FOLDER CARDMAKING DIE MACHINE SWIRL BAUBLES XMAS CTFD4006
I Googled it and discovered it was from Crafts Too!

I hope that helps everyone. If you haven't visited the winners please do, we're sure they'd love to hear from you!

Although gold - love it against the black for Christmas.
Striking, simple yet so elegant.

Love all the fun rainbow colours against the snowy backdrop.
On top of that the stunning die-cut 'merry' inked to match.
showCASed
Please take our ShowCASe badge for your blogs ladies and everyone please come back tomorrow for a new challenge!
Thank you all for fabulous entries last week!

October winner!

We have our winner for the October prize from Clearly Besotted
Would would like to thank Stephanie so much for her sponsorship and let you know that our winner for October is
Sarah
from
Sarah contributes to our challenges with stunning designs and is one of those super bloggers who visits and comments on fellow participants.
We're sure that you will be delighted with our choice!
Please take our winner's badge with our best wishes
Winner....
If you let us know your contact details Sarah, we'll pass them on to Stephanie!
Do look out for our ShowCASe tomorrow!

08 November 2014

One Layer Week - Starry, starry night!

Week 197
WOW what an amazing collection of Non-Traditionally coloured Christmas cards we had last week, our challenge really seemed to get your creative juices flowing!
Thank you all so much!
Now we have another 
One Layer Challenge
This week the focus of your creation is 
Starry, Starry Night!
Please remember that white space and obviously we would like to see stars somewhere!
Here are our contributions this week, although as usual you will find more examples on our personal blogs.
Thank you to all those who visited us last week, we really appreciated your comments!
Distress inked to create my skyline with stars and snowflakes
stamped and embossed with WOW metallic silver sparkle EP after masking
the top of the card with post-it tape and the base with a Memory Box
Landscape die. The sentiment is Clearly Besotted: Sweet Little Sentiments
and to finish a wrap around of navy and white twine.



Love these sheep from Inkydoodles!  White embossed with a groundline drawn in with a white pen, coloured with Inktense pencils.

This is in a very like manner to Sarah's card... strange how we think on similar lines! Here the sky was repeatedly stamped and clear embossed using a tiny Lavinia stamp, through a Post It mask, cut with a circle die. The Post It circle itself was cut with an Impression Obsession skyline die. This mask was used to allow the sky to be daubed with Chipped Sapphire Distress ink.
I used another die-cut of the same circle to draw the continuation of the circle at the base of the image with a fine Navy marker.
The sentiment is from Hero Arts!

We hope you'll have fun with this one as well as adding to your stocks of Christmas cards in readiness for the festive season.
***


07 November 2014

Newsprint ShowCASe week 195

There were some wonderful cards in our gallery last week for the 
Newsprint challenge. 
Some most interesting ways of using it appeared, demonstrating once again how creative our participants are!

Here are our ShowCASe choices for this week!
Look at this fabulous colour combination, beautiful composition too!
Pauline called it romantic... it's certainly that!

This is SO striking..What a wonderful use of the newsprint!

What a clever idea to use newsprint as the shading on this cute little hound! Brilliant!

Please take the ShowCASe badge ladies, with our thanks!
showCASed
This week's challenge has proved very popular... I'm sure you'll love next week's too, so pop back tomorrow and join us.

01 November 2014

Week 196 Colour challenge Non- Traditional Christmas

A brand new month and a brand new sponsor... well an old friend really. We are delighted to welcome back  Ribbon Girl as our sponsor this month!

Mary has an amazing selection of ribbons, trimmings and embellishments, so if you haven't perused her shop before we're sure you'll be delighted with the products available. Do take a look!
This week we have a COLOUR  challenge for you to follow.
NON-TRADITIONAL Colour CHRISTMAS CARD
SO.....
NO red, NO green
You may use metallics and neutrals but please avoid any red or green.
What fun!
Here are our cards
This tree stamp is a free Penny Black one from one of the craft magazines. I simply clear embossed it a couple of times and inked with Weathered wood distress ink, adding a few dabs of Stickles and some tiny gems.
The Sizzix sentiment was also coloured with the distress ink to match the sky. There is a little clear Wink of Stella on the word, but it doesn't show up terribly well. Now I can't find the pen!
I have been going a little mad this week and there are heaps more cards for this challenge on my personal blog, I would be delighted if you could take a look!
A bit button & bling-mad on this one!
Last year I made Christmas cards with buttons and gems 
attached to die-cut triangles to create trees but I fancied
heart-shaped ornaments for this one with a pink & grey theme.
The 'cloud pelmet' is from Mama Elephant: stitched landscape dies
The hearts are die-cut using Clearly Besotted: love hearts set
with Christmas sentiments also Clearly Besotted: Signature Christmas
which are heat-embossed with WOW sparkling silver EP.
To finish some twine from my stash.
 Pink Petticoat DP and sentiment, Memory Box die and some gems added.

We hope you have fun with this one as well as cracking on with your production of cards in time to post for Christmas!
Both Sarah and Anne also have other examples on their blogs too, so do pay them a visit!

Anne and I will be going to the Craft Show at the NEC on Thursday this week. Sadly Sarah can't manage it this time but if any of you are going, do call and say Hi! If you do intend being there, email me and I'll let you have my mobile number so that we can find each other!
***