New Year, new (ish) challenge

Hello folks (if there is anyone still out there) & a happy new year to you.  Not quite sure what happened to December, things sort of ran away with me.  It didn't help that my craft room is used as a dumping ground for all the last-minute-tidying-away-before-the visitors-arrive.  That's going to take a while to excavate.

 

Which is why this post is purely digital.  These cards were created using Silhouette Studio (free to download - you don't have to buy a Silhouette machine), along with Pink Petticoat papers.  The reindeer is a freebie, here. I used the trace feature to get the deer outline, then subtracted it from a square & used the result to crop the papers.  Any simple outline or font could be used.

 

Using dottie paper in crimson from the Fairy Lights collection

Using berries paper in willow.

 

 

Using vintage stars paper in soft silver.

The cards are sized so I can print 3 out on one sheet of A4,  all one layer, easy to send.  I also used this image for some of my Xmas decor this year - printed on photo paper & hung in simple frames from Ikea that usually carry other pictures:

 

 

If you know the your friends' colour schemes, you could send a card to match!

 

Linking to:

One-Layer Simplicity Challenge: #1 ~Re-stocking the shelves

 

 

OLW165 ~ Christmas without red or green

Stamps: Be Jolly (Technique Tuesday)

Ink: Soft Pool, Wet Cement (HA)

A teeny tiny card today, from an off-cut on my table.  Colours are more pastel IRL, more of a soft grey than brown.  Would like to blame Picasa, but think it's more likely to be me.  Please ignore crumpled backdrop in photo-tent.  Crafting or ironing?  No-brainer.

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW169 ~ Holiday cards (no red or green)

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes

Closet Inspiration

Stamps: Littly Bitty Bird (PTI); Teeny Trees (WM)

Ink: Nautical Blue (Memento); Pale Tomato (HA)

 

This week Heather invites us to look to our wardrobes for one-layer inspiration.  I have a vest top with tiny dandelion sprigs in blue, with an even tinier amount of coral stitching. I masked off the edges of the card before stamping, to give a white frame, mimicking the edging on the neck & arms. 

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW149 ~ Closet Inspiration

 

 

Snail mail

Stamps: snail (Elzybells)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Font: Special Elite

Less is More want speed this week.  Slow is a speed.  My children's favourite.  This also fits in with Susan's One Layer Wednesday call for bugs.

I found the letter image with Google & printed that out with the sentiment.  After stamping the snails, careful gentle colouring with promarkers to ensure no bleed through to the inside.  I added the'harness' with a fineline marker.

2 posts in one day.  Hurray!

 

Linking to:

Less is More: Week 123 ~ Need for Speed

One Layer Wednesday: OLW143 ~ Bugaloos
Simon Says Stamp & Show: Letter S

Merry & Bright

Stamps: Big Deal Alphabet (SU); Folk Art Flurries (WPlus9); Serif Font (Papermania)

Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko); Bamboo Leaves, Lady Bug (Memento)

Other: Aurora Crystal e.p. (Cosmic Shimmer)

Ardyth's responsible for One Layer Wednesday this week.  Things beginning with A:
Alphabet stamps
Ampersand
Aurora Crystal embossing powder

I like the MERRY, but I think the bright is a bit too much.  Needs to be more subtle.

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW136 ~ A-OK

OLW33 ~ Shapes Galore

Stamps: Star Prints (PTI)

Ink: Rosebud, Tangelo, Morocco, Espresso Truffle (Memento)

One layer Wednesday invites us to repeat shapes this week.  I pencilled in a curve using the edge of this card as a template, & stamped the stars in a variety of colours.  The grid on my stamp press provided the perfect spacing.  The sentiment was done in 'stamped off' Espresso Truffle.

Made a Christmas card along the same lines too.

 

Stamps: Teeny Trees (WM); Christmas Tags (Elzybells)

Inks: Summer Sky, Espresso Truffle (Memento); Aqua (Ranger)

It looks much better in real life...

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW133 ~ Shapes Galore

OLW130 ~ Centred Sentiment

Stamps: Fancy Phrases (WM); Basic Borders (Mama Elephant)

Ink: Bahama Blue, Tangelo (Memento)

Font: Trocchi Bold

One Layer Wednesday invites us to make a card with nothing other than a centred sentiment this week.  So I have.  Printed out the 'birthday' & used my stamp press for the HAPPY pinwheel again.  Not sure about the orange line under the sentiment, maybe should have left it just with the dots.

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW130 ~ Centred Sentiment

Faking it

Stamps: Bitty Bird (PTI); Season Sparkle (My Cute Stamps); words (Elzybells)

Ink; Versamark (Tsukineko)

other: Prisma colour pencils; Parker alphabet dies (Memory Box)

 

A complete change of direction for me today.  When my 7 yr old saw this card, he said "Wow Mum, did you draw that?".  As he never normally applies 'wow' to anything I do I was tempted for a moment to let him believe in mum-as-artist, but had to confess to stamping lest he call my bluff later on!

I really enjoyed myself with this, stamping in Versamark & then going over the lines with pencil.  I'm not uberhappy with the JOY bit, even though I embossed it with my favourite letter dies.  Next time, I'll cut out the letters & sponge them with white - but this is for one-layer-Wednesday, so die cuts are strictly verboten!

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW117 ~ Snow

Scene It

Stamps: Tiny treasures Christmas (Pink Petticoat); Tiny Trees (WM); unknown clip-art

Ink: Teal Zeal, Summer Sky (Memento)

Other: Modern Landscape die (Memory Box); circle punch; Stickles

My card today was very heavily influenced by Kristina Werner's card here.

The challenge on one layer wednesday this week is to create a scene.  (I'm guessing Karen doesn't intend for us to go & have a tantrum in the nearest restaurant).  I used the modern landscape die to create a mask, having first printed out my digital images.  The trees & house were a bit lost to start with, so I outlined the house with thin black marker, to create a visual triangle with the sled & the snowman.  BIG mistake.  Now the house was all my eye could focus on.  I have managed to soften it a little, with repeated applications of white gel pen, but I'm still not entirely happy.  What I do like however, is the 'snow' effect achieved by sponging on hammered card.  This was completely accidental.

The Tiny Treasures set also includes a penguin, so I might have another go with that & an igloo.

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW116~ Scene It

Thanks again...

Stamps: Bitty Banners (WM); Basic Borders (Mama Elephant)

Ink: Rhubarb Stalk, Bamboo Leaves, Pear Tart (Memento)

Having made a die cut 'thanks' for yesterday's CASology, I happened upon this week's One Layer Wednesday with the debris still around me.  It was the perfect opportunity to use the negative from the die cut with a bit of gentle sponging.  The brief is to make a Christmas thank you card.  So I thought presents (that's really what Xmas means in my heathen household...).  Not a present stamp to be found.  What's a girl to do?  Dig out the foam & the hole punch:

 

 

Stick it on the acrylic block with temporary adhesive & away we go.  Nice & simple, easy to do in bulk.  Assuming Santa stops here, of course!

 

Linking to:

One Layer Wednesday: OLW114 ~ a Christmas thank you

CASology: Week #19 ~ Thanks