The next challenge at Less is More is to make a one-layer card using a self-drawn frame. I went a bit mad and hand-drew the whole thing. The finished piece looks like it is layered because of shading using an alcohol marker on the bottom edge of the mandala – a very effective way of adding depth without layers. The background is a masked, dense layer of blended distress ink over which I’ve used a black pigment marker and Stabilo pencils for shading.

Used in this mandala card with my own frame

• Ranger / Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Pumice Stone
• Sakura Pigma Micron black archival ink pen (PN)
• Stabilo All coloured pencil: Black and white
• Craftwork Cards clear stamp set: sentiment – now discontinued
• Ranger Archival Ink: Jet Black
• Letraset/Winsor & Newton ProMarker: Cool Grey 3
• Stix2 Anything A4 masking sheet
• 5×7″ card blank

Top tip

There is usually enough flexibility in a clear stamp to gently shape it. For my curved sentiment, I placed the acrylic block onto the card, then placed the middle of the stamp next to the edge of the circle and then stuck the sides down bending as I went. It took a little adjusting but, eventually, I got it!