We’ve reached ‘colours’ on our rotating challenge themes at Less is More and this time around it is purple and yellow. For those unfamiliar with the challenge, it is to make a card or project that is clean and simple – there must be lots of clear and clean space around whatever elements you’re using. Here’s the card I made for the design team inspiration:
It’s lovely to have restarted my art journaling sessions here at the Studio (first and third Monday evenings of the month). This means that I have also returned to my art journal after a several-month hiatus to create the sample pages for the session. This month the theme is scratch ‘n’ scrape, in part known in the trade as sgraffito. We’ll also be playing with analogous and complementary colours. The overall effect is quite grungy and builds up using quite a few layers and media.
If you’d like to know more then I have one space left on Monday 4th October and four spaces on Monday 18th October, just let me know if you’d like to come.
It’s a shape challenge at Less is More this week, with the theme being ‘hexagons’. I chose to use a honeycomb die for my shapes and used both the positive and negative elements to make two cards. I had a master sheet that I had coloured with inks and paints during the Creative Jumpstart course at the beginning of the year which I used to cut the shapes from.
Here are the cards:
Ok, so this latest challenge from Less is More is going to cause all sorts of consternation as it is notoriously difficult to photograph glittery things. I’ve tried multiple light sources, but still haven’t managed to avoid shadows or overexposure. So, it’s left up to you to imagine the sparkle in these two cards!
Every now and then I have cause to go back and look at some of my previous work. On this occasion, I reviewed a piece I made for Jones Crafts some 7 years ago. I like the wide frame and the recess, so I adapted that concept for my latest piece from my Glowforge laser:
This one-layer card challenge is a little easier than the last one. The theme is ‘spots’ over at Less is More. I’ve previously used a stencil for making a multi-coloured spotty card, so wanted to do something different this time. After digging through my rubber stamp collection I found a semicircular spotty pattern by Magenta. It just so happens that after having it for years, this was the first time it had been used. I made two cards:
It’s always lovely to be asked to make something, and even better when given relatively free rein! The brief was to make boxes that were suitable for holding board game tokens, roughly 3-4″ by 1″ deep in size. The rest was up to me… Here’s what I came up with:
A really quick clean and simple card for this week’s ‘shades of blue’ colour challenge over at Less is More. Blended blues, in Salty Ocean/Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire distress inks, make for the main element of the card with a delicate sentiment to finish. Cut pieces on a diagonal, space them out and mount them on sticky foam for an added bit of depth. That’s all there is to it…
Lots of abbreviations today in my post title: LIM – Less is More, a challenge blog for CAS – clean and simple cards or projects. DT is short for design team – a number of crafters who publish inspiration for the challenges every fortnight. Finally, we have CASe which isn’t really an abbreviation as such but comes to mean copy elements/everything from a starter card. This time, Elaine has given us our starter for ten with a lovely watercoloured rose theme. Alongside is my take on her card…
Following a tough 16 months of closure due to the coronavirus restrictions nationally and locally, and the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday, I am delighted to announce the Studio is able to reopen from Monday (19th July).
In an abundance of caution, there will be a few changes to my sessions. I am reducing the maximum group size from eight to four per session to allow more space between attendees. The windows will be open throughout, so, if it’s due to be chilly, bring layers. I will sanitize all surfaces but as I can’t wipe down all the kit between sessions I will be supplying hand sanitizer for use at the beginning and during sessions at each workstation. Face coverings will be optional, in line with national guidance, though I’d still recommend wearing one if you’re not fully vaccinated. Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell, particularly if you have symptoms of coronavirus. I will, of course, keep everything under review and let you know of any changes.
If you’re at all unsure about being in a group again, contact me and we can work out a time for a one-to-one session.
Due to the reduced numbers at each session, I will be trialing the following:
I know these changes will make the dynamics of the groups different from a year ago, but I hope we’ll adapt and that you will be able to come back to the Studio.
