For the unfamiliar, a sketch challenge starts with a block drawing which you then adapt with added elements to make your card. Over at Less is More, the clean and simple card challenge blog, we have set sketch 26. Here are two cards based on the sketch.
New from Craft Label: Oh So Sweet paper pads and coordinating albums. The papers are beautifully designed and coloured, with glittered and pearlescent sheets along with several double-sided designs. The designs have all things sweet – macarons, lollies, cupcakes, cake slices, cups of tea, florals and even references to Battenburg and dolly mixtures. It’s strange how a scrapbooking paper design can evoke memories, and this was no exception. Here’s a layout recording one of our favourite refreshment stops while we were staying in Boston on our US trip back in December 2016.
Craft Label have sent me a new pack of goodies. Not only are their packing boxes secure, but they’re also polka-dotted and there’s an encouragement in every one to get making. The Finding Paradise set includes paper pads in all sizes (12″, 8″ and 6″ square) along with numerous embellishment packs including coordinating washi tape, clear stamps and toppers.
Challenge time again at Less is More, and this time it’s a theme: sea creatures. Strangely, despite searching through 20 years of collected stamps, magazine freebies and digistamps, I couldn’t find any images of sea creatures. Not even a fish. Then I remembered a logo I created for our craft business that ran for 10 years as part of a craft club… The Manic Stamper. It only took a little adjustment to make this sea creature inspired birthday card for the avid rubber stamper:
One layer card time at Less is More with a diamonds theme. This is what it says, with no die cuts, embellishments, and all completed on the folded cardstock. It’s harder than it seems and today’s example was the third time I tried the same technique!
It’s a colour theme at our favourite Clean And Simple challenge blog, Less is More. I can’t remember who suggested them, but the colours this time around are pink, grey and gold. Here are two one layer cards using the colours, with the peacock being the one I chose for the DT post.
The brand new papercraft and embellishments set from Craft Label and Dovecraft is ‘Butterfly Kisses’. The palette is green, purple and pink with some of the papers glittered and silvered. There are floral (roses) and geometric patterns, and of course, there are butterflies galore. There are three paper pad sizes: 6×6″, 8×8″ and 12×12″. The embellishments include mini-pegs, painted toppers, holographic butterflies, fabric brads, dies, clear stamps and resin roses. There are bundles available too with savings to be had over individual packs. Subject to stock, all items are available here.
Here is the result of a couple of hours work, two trios of decorated cards:
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:
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…
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.
