One card, two challenges

I had a few minutes to create a quick card- this one took less than five minutes (including having to restamp three times because I didn't like the way it looked). This is my entry into the Less is More weekly challenge, neutral colours, and the Splitcoast Stampers Saturday inspiration challenge, which is Superfine Bakery.
For this card, I used cream card stock and layered it onto a dark brown base. Not sure why the card looks pink in the photo. The image and sentiment are stamped in Momento ink rich cocoa. I distressed the edges of the cream card with some of the same ink and added three brown brads to the corner to finish it off.

I am pleased with how this one turned out, given that I had the idea pop into my head and it turned out exactly the way I wanted, in the amount of time I had to play!

When you wish upon a star...

So happy to be playing with the Less is More challenge this week! I was playing with a few ideas, and didn't have luck with any of them, so I switched tracks and did a few other cards (scroll down for my first post today and a Mousey card) and came back to it.

Always seem to be needing birthday cards, and this one struck me as I was poking around my stamp collection.

The mouse was stamped in momento black ink and then coloured with Copics. The stars are Stampin' Up (can't remember which set) which was stamped in versamark and then embossed with silver powder. The sentiment is a bargain bin stamp from Michaels. The inside of the card says "Wish upon a star."

The next few weekends are pretty busy, but I hope I have a chance to play along!

Patriotic challenge

This week at Less is More, the challenge is to use colours of your nation's flag. I love red and white together- it always looks so clean and classic. So, to pay tribute to the True North Strong and Free, here are my cards...

I love this stamp set. I can't remember whose it is. (edited to say it's Inkadinkado winter silhouette) I stamped in versamark and then embossed with white embossing powder. The sentiment was stamped the same and embossed, then the layer was added.

 Last time I went to Scrapyard, they had a Christmas in July sale, and I purchased these flowers. I doubled them up, added a flocked red brad to the centre and attached to a 2.5 strip of Cherry Cobbler paper from Stampin' Up (all the red paper for these cards is Cherry Cobbler). Added the sentiment and it was done. I love quick and easy cards sometimes, and this one came together in no time.

The third and final card for this creation is my beloved Dancer stamp. I had a small piece of Cherry Cobbler left over from a cutting area, stamped in versamark and embossed in white then layered it onto some white. I used a little bit of ribbon to tie it all together (no pun intended).

Lucky Dip... feeling fruity

It's been ages since I've been able to play along with the Less is More blog challenges. This week, it's Feeling Fruity. I don't have many stamps with fruit on them, but I have (and have been getting a lot of mileage) out of a House Mouse stamp. I've made a couple of cards with this stamp over the past couple of months, but I have finally been able to colour the lemon so it looks like a lemon, and not a yellow blob.

It took me a while to actually get this stamp onto paper. I was in a cleaning mode yesterday, and that transferred onto the stamp, as well. I had it inked twice and cleaned it off twice before it hit paper. I stamped onto Strathmore Bristol paper and coloured with Copics. I used a border punch to punch the holes and overlaid the card onto some orange stock that picks up the orange from the flower. Wasn't sure what I am going to use this card for, so I didn't put a sentiment onto the card. I like it just the way it is, and will put the sentiment on the inside instead, I think.

I seem to be on the roll again with postings... hope I can keep it up with at least one post per week in August!

Sunday, Less is More and Mice

I was very busy at work this week, and had to work yesterday as well. I did check out the Less is More blog this week to see what the challenge was. This week, we are to pick a square- one quadrant of the card- and place the image there. I immediately had  several ideas, but had to wait until today to create. I have also saved a couple of the blogs for future ideas! I love sharing creativity with other crafters- it's such an inspiration to see what everyone else has created, and how many variations there can be on the same theme.

I created two cards for the challenge- the first is a House Mouse stamp that I have had for a bit.

The mouse is coloured with Copics and attached to red shiny cardstock. Looking at this card again, I likely could have out the sentiment up the side of the mouse, where his tail is. Ah, hindsight, what a wonderful thing! The balloons are brads I've had for ages, and the lines were drawn in.

This second card is for my cousin's wedding shower, which is next week. The mouse was stamped and coloured with Copics. The top part of the umbrellas was stamped on patterned paper and cut out, then I attached it with foam tape to make it stand out a little more. The white card was placed on a piece of the same paper the umbrella was cut from, and placed on Bashful Blue from Stampin' Up.

I am really enjoying participating in the Less is More challenge- it is pushing me out of my comfort zone and allowing me to experiment with different cards. In North America, we usually make 4.25 by 5.5 inch cards. I am really liking playing with square shapes and simple designs. Thank you Chrissie and Mandi!