Less is More Week #322

Hi there

After taking a break for a couple of weeks I'm back playing along with my teamies at Less is More today and as we're at the beginning of another month it's the turn of our Colour challenge.  And this time we want to see...

And for the month of April we have a fab new sponsor which is

Lili of the Valley

I have three cards to share with you this week and for my first card I chose pastel yellow, green and blue...

On a panel of white cardstock I stamped a background using VersaMark, applied some white embossing powder but then brushed off around the edge before heating so there were no hard edges.  I then watercoloured within the pattern using three colours of Distress Inks.  A simple Happy die cut and a white embossed sentiment strip finished the design which was popped up on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Kaiserkraft - Morocco; Clearly Besotted - Sentimental Type
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Cracked Pistachio and Tumbled Glass
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Wplus9 - Happy Trio

Challenge entries:

Fab Friday - Challenge #109 - Sketch (turned from portrait to landscape)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

For my second card I used a stamp by our April sponsor, Lili of the Valley...

I kept this one really simple by stamping the image onto a panel of Strathmore Bristol smooth cardstock and then watercoloured using Zig markers.  A sentiment was stamped alongside in black and the panel was popped up onto a card base made with the same cardstock so there was no variation in colour.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Lili of the Valley - Flower Arranging; Woodware - Salutations
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Watercoloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #353 - Just Add Critters

Alphabet Challenge Blog - B is for Bunnies

And I went for a one layer card for my third design, using pastel pink, lilac and mint shades...

I stamped the abstract images, all from the same stamp set, to create a horizontal strip background.  I then overstamped with the bold sentiment in black, and re-inked using the MISTI to create a bold, sharp impression.  That was it, super simple.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Circles and Dots; MFT - Brushstroke Birthday
• Ink: Altenew - Mountain Mist, Soft Lilac, Rose Quartz; Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entry:

CAS-ual Fridays - Challenge #170 - No Dies Allowed

Thanks so much for visiting today.  If you have time please do take a moment to check out my teamies' personal blogs as there will be lots more inspiration there too.

We're Kissing at Less is More

Good morning, crafters!

So, there's a new challenge for this coming week just kicking off at Less is More and we have an interesting one for you.  Our theme for this week is a technique, which is...

Stamp Kissing!

This involves inking up a solid stamp and a detailed stamp and then 'kissing' them together before stamping onto your project.  There is a more detailed description over at Less is More or you can find lots of tutorials over on YouTube.

I've got two examples for you today.  I won't lie, I dragged LOTS of stamps out of my stash before I found some which worked together.  And a little tip for you, I find this technique works best with pigment ink, the sticky consistency seems to help in keeping hold of the detail of the images.

So, here's my first...

For this one I chose leaves as my solid images and a distressed grid image for my detail.  For each leaf I inked it up with the lightest ink, then inked up the grid stamp with a darker shade, 'kissed' them together then stamped on my card base.  I stamped a few leaves in different shade combos directly on my base.  I embossed the sentiment in white on a black strip of textured card, adhered this flat and then added some enamel dots.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Paper Smooches - Leafy Greens; Kaidercraft - Grid; Sentiment from Hero Arts set (unknown name)
• Ink: Versa Color - Green Tea, Evergreen, Bamboo, Olive, Umber; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Limeade

Challenge entry:

Daring Cardmakers - Leaf it Alone!

I decided to go with a fun feel for my second card...

Again, I stamped the solid images, this time the balloons, with the lightest shades and then inked up a circles background stamp with the darker co-ordinating shades.  These were kissed together, stamped, and then die cut with the co-ordinating balloon die.  I stamped the balloon strings on a white cardstock panel and adhered the balloons flat to this.  I added the fun style sentiment and then popped the panel up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Wplus9 - Whole Lotta Happy; Uniko - Balloon Bash (strings); Pink Cat Studio - Background Stamps
• Ink: Versa Color - Cyan/Royal Blue, Heliotrope/Violet, Pink/Opera Pink; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Wplus9 - Whole Lotta Happy

Challenge entries:

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #408 - A Bit of Fun

Seize The Birthday - Clean and Simple

Simply Create Too - Challenge #100 - It's Party Time

Stamping Sensations - January Challenge - Anything Goes with a Die(s)

Time Out Challenges - Challenge #47 - Birthdays with Optional Twist (I didn't twist for this one)

If you are new to this technique why not have a go, I've only done it once before so this was also a challenge for me this week.  I hope you'll join us.