Less is More Challenge #369

Good morning, crafters

Back with a fresh new challenge over at Less is More and for this fortnight's challenge we have a really fun Theme for you.  Here's the cue...

...something that you've not used on your cards in ages / out of fashion or favour /

older stash items

We have two fabulous Guesties joining us this week, Cara and Sue, our previous January and February Winners.  Please do pop over to say hi and to see what they've been bringing back for this challenge.

Our sponsor for April is the wonderful Happy Little Stampers and I've been using HLS stamps on all of my cards for this challenge.  And don't forget that by playing along you also get a chance of becoming our monthly prize winner!

For my cards today I've chosen some old items from my stash which I've not used in a LONG time.

The first stash item I grabbed was my chalks, and I made two versions of the same design...

On a panel of white cardstock I stamped the dandelion image twice in VersaMark ink.  I then dabbed on some chalks using a cotton pad.  Once most of the design was covered in chalk I then blended the colour a little more to pick up the detail of the images.  As you're adding chalk to an ink that's still sticky it's best to dab first instead of swirling so as not to blur the stamped images.  I then used a co-ordinating green ink to stamp the sentiment.  The panel was then popped up on fun foam onto a pink card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Happy Little Stampers - Dandelion Wishes
• Ink: VersaMark; Versa Color - Bamboo
• Chalks: Craf-T Products - Decorating Chalk
• Coloured cardstock from stash

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #287 - Make Your Mark (chalks)

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #69 - Springtime

For my second version of this design I used the chalks on black cardstock...

The process here was the same but instead of using VersaMark I used a white pigment ink to which the chalk was then added.  The sentiment and stems here are in fact green but it doesn't show up too well in the pic.  The panel was then popped up on some black fun foam onto a green card base.  You do get more of a haze around the images on the black cardstock but I think that adds a nice softness to it.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Happy Little Stampers - Dandelion Wishes
• Ink: Hero Arts - Unicorn
• Chalks: Craf-T Products - Decoration Chalk
• Coloured cardstock from stash

And for my third card, and the one I shared over at the main LIM post, I had fun once again playing with shrink plastic!

I started by stamping the butterfly onto the rough side of some shrink plastic and then coloured it in with my coloured pencils.  You don't have to be too particular with the colouring detail as it will shrink to seven times smaller than it's original size.  I die cut the butterfly with its co-ordinating die and then used my heat gun to apply the heat required to shrink it.  It will curl while shrinking but it generally returns to a flat image, although my butterfly's antennas did get a little twisted in the process but I quite like how they look!  When still warm I just placed an acrylic block over it to ensure it was completely flat.  Here's a closer look...

On my card base I stamped the 'happy' using my MISTI with four different inks to create an ombre effect, stamped the rest of the sentiment in black and then adhered the butterfly using Glossy Accents to ensure it would adhere well.

Materials used:

• Happy Little Stampers: Butterfly Birthday (and co-ordinating die), Mix Mash, Everyday Sentiments
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Canary, Marigold, Orange, Camellia
• Coloured with Faber Castell Polychromos
• Shrink Plastic: Funstamps - Frosted

Challenge entries:

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes: Vibrant Colours

STAMPlorations - April Challenge - Focus on the Sentiments

Creative with Stamps - Challenge #25 - CAS + Sentiment
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with HLS Stamps

I had great fun returning to these old techniques and products.  My teamies are bringing back some great products and techniques on their projects over at the main challenge blog so please do drop by and visit them if you have time.

Can't wait to see what emerges from everyone's stash for this one!

One Layer Chalk and Ink

Hi guys

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, I've actually made a card and written a post!

The chaos being caused by the new kitchen in still in full swing but I managed to grab a small space amongst the clutter and dust to make a card.  I couldn't let this week pass by without entering a card over at Less is More for their 4th birthday.  Less is More was one of the very first challenges I discovered and I'm gutted I've missed so many challenges so far this year, but hopefully I can soon get back to normal and get my craft workspace back properly!

It's a colour challenge at Less is More and they want us to use Pink and Grey on our creations.  So here's what I made...

I thought I'd reach for my chalks as I hadn't used them for ages so I masked off a rectangle and blended three pink shades with cotton wool to create the background.  I then simply stamped the silhouette, butterfly and sentiment in Memento ink and that was it, done :)

Materials used:

• Chalks: Craf-T Products - Decorating Chalk
• Stamps: Inkylicious - Meadow Breeze; Wild Rose Studio - Everyday Greetings
• Ink: Memento - London Fog

I would also like to enter this card at the following challenge blogs:

One Layer Simplicity - Challenge #13 - You Blend (chalks)

CAS on Sunday - Challenge #51 - Flowers

Thanks so much for visiting today, and I hope it won't be too long before I'm back with more to share.

Fairy Silhouette

Hi there

Tonight, I'd like to share a card I've just made for the new challenge at CASology where the cue word is 'Magic'.  

I have very little in my craft stash that would fit this challenge but one stamp set came to mind so this is what I managed to create with it...

For my first attempt at this card I stamped the image last but it didn't stamp clearly enough so that card ended up in the bin and I started again.  This time I stamped the fairy image first and let this dry completely before masking off a section of the card with post-it notes.  I also die cut a post-it note using a circle die to create the moon.  I then gently built up the background with pink, purple and indigo chalks.  I then removed the circle die and gently blended over the moon with pink chalk to make it softer and used some white chalk to soften it more and create some gentle clouds.  I finished the card by adding the sentiment.  I was originally going to add a further sentiment below which said 'believe...' but the stamp was damaged so this became the finished card.  I think I would have preferred to have the sentiment stamped at the bottom but I didn't want to create the whole project again! 

Materials used:

• Stamps: Lindsay Mason Designs - Magic Happens
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Xcut - Nested Circles
• Decorating Chalks

That's all for now folks.  Tomorrow I'll be sharing my card for the new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More so would love it if you'd pop back.

Take care