LIM DT: CAS inking

One of the challenges of [C]lean [A]nd [S]imple card design is keeping some white space around your elements. This week’s challenge over at Less is More is CAS inking. We’re hoping that entrants will restrain themselves and keep roughly two-thirds of their card free of inking or texture as per the challenge rules. I created several inked pieces and chose two to go through to card stages:

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Craft Label DT: Nova Acrylic Paint Pens

I’ve just taken delivery of my latest goodies from Craft Label (Trimcraft). First up is a set of acrylic paint pens from Nova. These are water-based, non-toxic and suitable for just about every surface. They are also water-proof on glass and ceramic when baked (though not dishwasher or food safe). The pens have a 0.7mm extra-fine tip and there are 15 colours in a pack, including metallic gold and silver.

Over a year ago, I was given a bag of cobbles/pebbles by a friend who was hoping I would use them for stone art. I’ve finally got round to using some to decorate with the paint pens…

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LIM DT: Theme – Baby

Another Less is More challenge blog design team post… I had to go very deep into my stash to find some baby-themed stamps, but after almost getting lost in a drawer I managed to look out three suitable images. All have been stamped on paper for acrylics as I couldn’t immediately lay my hands on watercolour paper. I then cut out the images and stuck them onto the cards.

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LIM DT: One Layer Card – Flowers

We’re still celebrating 10 years of Less is More Challenges with loads of prizes up for grabs. All you need to do is make a clean and simple card or project featuring ‘flowers’ on just one layer – few or no embellishments, large areas of white space but no adding any layers (e.g. whole card die cuts) to the card. Fuller instructions are here. Enter it into the challenge and you’ll be in with a chance. Here’s my take on the theme:

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LIM DT: Chocolate!

There’s a birthday celebration over at Less is More Challenge blog. The clean and simple challenge has been running for 10 years! There are lots of prizes to be won if you’d like to enter, with the birthday theme being the colour ‘chocolate’. I decided a tenth birthday cake was in order and came up with this card:

10th birthday chocolate cake

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LIM DT: Recipe – In A Row

A Less is More Design Team post again – today’s theme over on the clean and simple challenge blog is a recipe and is for ‘in a row’. There was just one stamp I had that would fit the bill, and it’s a golden oldie from Penny Black. Coloured with ProMarkers using the stamp sample as a guide. It’s a one layer card, though this wasn’t one of the challenge criteria.

rabbits in flower pots in a row

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LIM DT: Clothing/Fashion

After a Christmas hiatus, Less is More is back with a new clean and simple card challenge. ‘We’re probably all sick of sweat pants and casual clothes, so let’s look forward to a time when we can all dress up again’ sets off the clothing/fashion theme. I remembered that I had done some paper piecing of dresses when I was with Craftwork Cards and managed to unearth the ‘Sophie’ stamp set from 2016 which is perfect for dress-up!

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Craft Label DT: North Star Stars

Another relatively quick project with Craft Label goodies – North Star Stars. Using the First Edition North Star 6×6″ paper pad, I have cut out six/five spikes (three per sheet) and through folding and fiddly sticking have constructed these hanging stars. I’ve used two of the pearlescent designs (hard to see the shiny finish in the pic) and then two different pages for the alternating patterned star:

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Craft Label DT: North Star Christmas Cards II

Time for another look at the First Edition North Star paper pad from Craft Label. As well as the glittered design, two foil designs and two pearlescent designs, half the pad is double-sided as well. It’s a 200gsm paper, so a decent weight for card making and also making 3D projects as well. Today, I used the grey-green papers which accompany the blue-silver colour scheme in the pad.

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Craft Label DT: Decoupage Cards II

More Craft Label goodness, hopefully for your inspiration and inspired purchases! This time I’ve used the Christmas Sentiments decoupage paper for three decoupage cards. For the square card, I decoupaged a square piece of white card first before mounting on the gold mat. For the DL card, I just stuck a piece of the decoupage paper to the mat – it’s see-through and the clear tape sticky is just visible as a dark lines (subtle but there) so I’d not do that again. Finally, I decoupaged the paper direct to the A6 card. Of course, the card buckled and it took a fair bit of work to get it flat enough again. I needed to outline the gold heat embossed sentiment with Stickles to help it stand out against the decoupage paper. This helped tie the text to the embellishment as well.

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