Less is More is finishing off a month of birthday celebrations with a fantastic new challenge which just so happens to be one of my least favourites , the sketch challenge. I’m totally rubbish at them and usually avoid them but this time I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Executing my idea was another matter and it’s taken all day to make this simple card.

Last year I bought a badge making machine on a whim , as you do, and have hardly used it, no surprise there. Today though it’s having a little outing.

These images are Silhouette studio files which I’ve printed and watercoloured. The raccoon was printed again onto copy paper to make the badge and adhered to the card.

Here he is without the badge showing the printed image. I choose the particular sentiment as the critters all look so miserable I wonder what that’s all about !

Do pop over to LIM once again the DT have all produced amazing cards to inspire us all.

Before I go I want to shout out to the lovely Brenda Lawrence who is constantly leaving me comments unfortunately WordPress isn’t showing me your blog name so I can’t come by and visit. Could you please leave it in your comment so I can come and visit.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

Marie

I’ve been trying to join in the birthday celebrations at Less is More for the past few weeks and finally managed it with 24 hours to go ! All month long the LIMettes are celebrating their fourth birthday .

The challenge for this week is…….

As always I’m late getting on the band wagon with trends and have been steering clear of watercolouring , well actually that’s not true I’ve just been steering clear of posting my efforts.  Today I’m feeling brave and wanted to share this card I made for the LIM Alphabet challenge. A little watercolouring and smooshing with Ranger Distress Inks and then a tad of stamping , can’t remember whose stamp it is I think its Penny Black but not sure. Fintec arabic gold watercolour for the gold highlights and then a glass dome over the centre. Looks much better in real life and for once can’t blame the lack of sun for the poor photo ,just the opposite today !

Happy Little Stampers have an anything goes challenge on with the twist of using a die but for once my Cameo has been left untouched , it’s about time the poor little blighter had a rest.

Crafty Life Challenges  are also asking us to use stamps on our projects so am linking up there also.

Do pop over to both LIM and Happy Little Stampers lots of amazing cards in their galleries and by both DT’s.

Take care

Marie

I have the pleasure to be over at The City Crafter challenge blog as guest designer this week after winning their sale now on challenge a few weeks ago.

The theme for this  week is to create a project using your stitch dies or faux stitching.

Well as I don’t own one single stitch die I had to use the offset feature on my Cameo and turn the line into stitches around the leaves , those of you that own Cameo’s will know how I did it. For good measure I attached the leaf with real stitching.

For the leaf I used and old Indigoblu bubble stamp which I white embossed onto watercolour paper. I used the smooshing technique, well I believe that’s the technical term and a first for me. Using a variety of Ranger distress inks I ” smooshed ” away on top of the image. I really enjoyed it and don’t know why I have avoided watercolouring and smooshing it was such great fun. Once the ink was dry I took out my beautiful Finetec gold watercolour paints that have been sitting in my drawer for ages as I was scared to use them.

I first saw the amazing Kristina Werner use them and was hooked I just had to have them not knowing what I would do with them until this challenge. So out they came and using an aqua brush I painted over the top of the leaf and this is the result. I just love the effect unfortunately its very hard to capture with my limited photographic skills the intensity of colour. The cut out leaf was added into the negative space of the first leaf and popped up with a little foam and then backed onto some delicious wallpaper.

Also linking up to Happy Little Stampers who I see are asking  us to use Watercolours with the optional twist of dies.

Do pop on over to City Crafter and see what the amazing DT have come up with to inspire us this week,  once again their designs are beautiful and I’m so proud to have been chosen to join them this week.

Take care

Marie