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…
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.
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).
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.
I set myself the challenge of trying all of the techniques in the 10th Creative JumpStart organized by Nathalie Kalbach. This week included Gelli printing with a homemade stencil, illustrations with watercolour, tonal painting with gouache, paper quilting two ways, using texture in watercolour and stitching a story. I almost didn’t do the watercolour ones, as I really don’t get along well with the medium… but I had a go and was rather happy with the results. I haven’t done the stitching one as I don’t have kids doing naive outline drawings! Each of the featured artists has recorded a 10-minute video tutorial, and they’re all super easy to follow. Here’s this week’s work:
Tonight’s art journal session features Brusho colour crystals. Last time I had the Brushos out, some of the highly concentrated watercolour crystals fell into my stack of distress inks. Inappropriate streaks of colour appeared in carefully blended ink for months and months, despite fastidious wiping down of every single ink pad. This time I’m wiser, and the inks have a full cover over them!
I’ve had chance to design and journal five more Bible journal entries this week. Continue reading for the button to press if you would like to download the outlines for your own use – it’s free!
I’ve been creating some new Bible journaling this week. I’ve also been trying out some different art materials – more info after the gallery.
I’ve taken the opportunity today to complete this month’s Pick A Stick Challenge. Ten steps, in order, mixing up the media and adding collage elements. There are more and more taking part in the challenge, and it’s the perfect way to journal when the artistic muse has wandered off.
Day 3 of my online card class, and they’ve introduced a fab idea – a ‘design break’. A chance to use what we’ve learnt in class to make cards. I didn’t have chance yesterday as I was prepping for a large workshop (news of this released next week…), so I’ve been making the cards this morning before today’s class is released. Here are my makes:
The text is all self-designed and cut from 300gsm card on my Silhouette Cameo. Colour added with distress inks, direct to paper. I love the results of some of these – not styles I would have immediately gone for, but very effective cards. Now to go and see what Day 4 has in store!
