Little Penguins

This weeks' Less is More challenge is to feature "little creatures" so I took it as a perfect excuse to use the new Mama Elephant penguin stamps I just got in store today before they sell out!  http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-194-little-creatures.html

I stamped 4 of them in a row, skating along until, like me on ice, they fall over and get very red in the face!   The sentiment and "ice lines" are from the companion set which I just love nearly as much as the little fellas themselves so I will be making my Christmas cards with these this year I think.

As it's a one layer card I used pencils to colour them in so it doesn't show on the inside and I left the sentiment open-ended so I can use this card for any reason by finishing it off inside with whatever I need at the time.

Thanks for stopping by.

Waltzingmouse PJ Party

It's party night - have you got your PJs on?  I'm ready, especially as I have Spandau Ballet on the TV too!

I managed 3 of the 4 challenges this month - I must admit the sketch stumped me a little - too many bits for my mainly CAS style so I passed.

Here's my card for the first challenge - Texture it - make texture without embossing folders.  It turns out mine was really hard to photograph - but hopefully you can make it out in the top right - I used 2 pieces of ric-rac ribbon and my embossing mat and ran it through the big-shot to see what would happen - irl it's really detailed (although the ribbon is now much flatter!) and I like the way it frames my scene.  The snowman is stamped on pearlised card and glued on with pinflair gel to get some nice round shaping to him and then his bits are paper-pieced with enamel dots for eyes etc.

The second challenge was "snow is falling" so I used one of the new snowflake dies and cut several from white glitter card and blue iridescent card to make a winter wreath with matching shimmering sentiment and a few sequin highlights.

Challenge 3 is old PJs - use any Christmas set other than the new ones.  I decided to make a really mini card - this one is just 3x3 inches as I had a lot of 3 inch scraps of this striped paper from another project.  I used one of my all time fave sentiments from Compliments of the Season 2 - I love the sheer elegance of this and how it can be the feature of a card (especially a mini one!)   Stamped in red on kraft and cut with a spellbinder label die - a few glitter accents, gold edging and gold washi tape - et voila mini card in 5 mins!

Have fun at the PJ party - I'll be back to see who else is playing later.

http://waltzingmouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/welcome-to-october-pj-party.html

One and Two

My favourite challenge of the month on my favourite challenge site is the one layer challenge - I used to be terrified of them but now I make mostly one layer cards so I love this challenge and this week all you have to do is have 2 of something on your card.   I've gone for 2 penguins and 1 santa so I hope that's ok!  http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-193-one-layer-card.html

I used North Pole from Avery Elle - you get 3 "sentiment hats" to put on Santa so it's a super fun set to play with but he looks so jolly it had to be Ho-Ho-Ho!   He dropped off a little pressie for my two penguins on his way to his sled.   It is all simply stamped and coloured with copics and glitter pens, and framed with a simple black line.

Falling into Autumn

It's rare these days that I get to play along in challenges just for fun so I'm pleased I got time tonight to make a card which fits into 3!   The inky paws challenge at Newton's Nook and the Less is More challenge are both autumn colours and addicted to CAS is the codeword of stencil.

I used my favourite puddy-cat from Newton's Birthday Bash to be the focus of my card by extending the string with a black pen - colouring him with copics and adding glossy accents to the balloon before fussy cutting him out.   Having a ginger Tom seemed the obvious way for Autumn colours!


The background of arrows I thought was appropriate to add to the movement and was created with stencil paste coloured with acrylic paint and sprinkled with glitter.

The sentiment is from Avery Elle's Cake and Candles stamped in black and matted with a hand cut flag.

Here are the links to the challenges if you want to play along too.

http://www.newtonsnookblog.com/2014/09/inky-paws-challenge-14-fall-color.html

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-192-colour-challenge.html

http://addictedtocas.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/challenge-49-stencil.html

Try a new technique

Over at Make the Day Special Stamp Store this month, we have a new challenge for you where we would like you to try a new technique, or if there is nothing new for you to try, for you to resurrect one you've not tried in a while.

I tried a couple of techniques - firstly - I had a play with nail varnish marbling - I have to say it didn't go well!   This was my third attempt - it was going to become a die cut snowflake but I gave up and found a new technique at this point!  I may give it another go as I hate to be defeated so I'll let you know....

So I switched to having a go at ombre embossing paste with stencils - I had never even used embossing paste before (I'm not great when it comes to anything messy!) so this was a bit of a challenge for me but I LOVE the results.

I made an ombre blue texture panel using texture paste mixed with acrylic paint and a stencil with added glitter for a super frosty feel.  I then added the penguin from Lawn Fawn, the north pole from Avery Elle and a die cut sentiment from Papersmooches.

I forgot to photograph the steps as I made the panel, so I did it again but this time went with shades of autumn.

Step 1 - fix your stencil to your card with washi/painters tape.  Put 3 dabs of paste on your craft at with 3 tonal shades of acrylic paint.
Step 2 - Mix the paint into the paste.
Step 3 - starting with the lightest shade of paste begin to spread it onto the stencil, taking care to go with the grain so it doesn't bleed underneath.   Don't leave a solid line so the blend looks more organic.
Step 4 - Take your medium shade and repeat step 3
Step 5 - Take your darkest shade and repeat step 3.  Scrape off excess and check the blend between the shades and adjust as required.
Step 6 - Remove the stencil (carefully or you could smudge it - I know cos I did!) and whilst the paste is still wet, sprinkle with super-fine glitter if using.    Allow to dry then cut to size and use on your project.

It's a great technique and I can't wait to give it another go.  The paste we have in store is super light and easy to work with.

WCMD at Waltzingmosue Fanatics

We're making it super easy to play at Waltzingmouse Stamps this week - our challenge is anything goes in celebration of World Card Making Day.

I got my new goodies from Claire  this week so had to use them to play!  I went with the new Robin and pieced him using wood veneers and scraps of paper (his red heart is a gift tag which is super shiny!) and a little copic colouring.

I used the AMAZING new snowflake die to emboss a background to stand him on as I wanted something  on the card but for him to be the focus.  I am really pleased with how it came out.

Do pop over to the challenge and join in with us - anything Waltzingmouse goes this week! http://waltzingmousefanaticschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/challenge-28-anything-goes-some-news.html