Don’t forget that in the crafting world, new Christmas releases occur from any point in June to the end of July. I’m not entirely sure why, but, presumably, it’s like fashion, a season in advance. Thus, the Less is More challenge this time is ‘Christmas in July’. I’ve created two cards: initially, the watercoloured card, which I decided wasn’t clean and simple enough, and then the snowflake and sentiment.
Oh, this one is a real toughie! I don’t think it’s a secret that the design team were all scratching their heads with the latest challenge over at the clean and simple card challenge site, Less is More. We could think of several ways of making a monogram, but most weren’t only one layer. That ruled out die cuts, cutouts and all sorts of other clever stuff.
Anyhoo, I scratched my head successfully and came up with three designs. The first, the N, technically didn’t fulfil the definition of a monogram, being a single initial. Then the stencilled and embellished A didn’t fulfil the definition either and turned out not to be a favourite. Finally, the graffiti monogram meets the definition, but might not be considered a traditional monogram.
Flicking through my Bible where I do my journaling, there are some books that don’t seem to have very many illustrations. I guess they are the lesser read books or those which are lists from which little is quoteworthy. I find Chronicles (1&2) to be in these categories, so have spent a little time finding little nuggets and illustrating them. A free downloadable PDF of the illustrations can be found here if you’d like to trace your own versions.
Challenge time again at Less is More, the clean and simple challenge blog. This time, it’s a colour challenge: use pale blue and yellow, and black and white are allowed. It took me a little while to come up with my design – a couple of the design team had already posted their cards and I didn’t want to do the same or a similar card. Here’s my final take on the challenge:
I’ve been asked to review the basic tool set from Cricut. There are five tools designed for use with the Cricut machines and cutting mats: spatula, weeder, scraper, scissors, and tweezers. All of the tools have end pieces suitable for hanging and any metal components are well attached to the plastic handles. I’m going to look at each, in turn, discussing their use(s), before giving my overall impression.
I took a couple of hours over the weekend to make a series of cards using the new paper pad from First Edition, Oh So Sweet available from Craft Label. I’ve already made a scrapbook layout with a description of the pad contents here, so I won’t repeat it again. Though I love the pastel colour palette, I did find it missing some dark contrast pages and had to add distress ink to some of the edges to get that contrast where I wanted it.
One of the joys (and tribulations) of being a mixed media artist is that you have a great deal of choice when coming to the question of a favourite technique. The fact that the latest challenge at Less is More is conventionally a card craft project helpful narrows down the choice. I found it hard to pick a favourite, so here are two cards based on the effects I most like the results of.
It’s been a long long while since I have done any Bible Journaling – probably since COVID started way back last year. Actually, now I come to think of it, I did some for New Year 2021. I had got into the habit of creating illustrations ready for my Bible Journaling classes each month, but as classes weren’t happening due to the virus neither was my own journaling practice.
Yesterday and today, however, were spent illustrating, drawing, colouring and painting with even a little gilding for good measure. Here are five more illustrations, and there is a free downloadable PDF featuring the designs in my store (Bible Journaling 12).
New in at Craft Label are the First Edition Bon Voyage paper pads. They feature two canvas designs, three spot UV designs and half the 48 sheets are double-sided. The pads are printed with soy inks and being acid and lignin-free are perfect for scrapbooking. I’ve also used the papers to make cards, five of which are featured below. I think the papers are also perfect for more masculine cards as well as travel-related projects. Here are six projects for your inspiration:
The thing with a 6×6″ paper pad is that when you’re using the papers to make cards, the pad doesn’t last very long – go with the 12×12″ pad! This also gives you the opportunity to do scrapbook layouts. The paper pad, stamps and embellishments I have revisited are from Dovecraft – Butterfly Kisses – available from Craft Label. Here are the five additional card designs…
As well as the paper pad and embellishments, I used two coordinating Distress Oxide colours to stamp with: Dusty Concord and Bundled Sage. Top tip: give the clear stamps a good wash before first use to remove the manufacturing film that can cause the ink to bead up rather than lay flat.
