white on white with a bit of gold

I'd like to enter this card into the Less is More Challenge fith anniversary challenge,
the Inkspirational challenge #101 and
AAA cards Challenge #57

Quite a lot but it is what it is. My head has been so full this week, not even with fun creative stuff, but serious adulty stuff and it was pulling me down...a lot!

You  know I like to make single card for every challenge, but it wasn't going to happen this week,  sorry. 
They all seem to be in the same category , so lucky me.

My card has a video, so feel free to watch that instead of reading how I made it.

I've used the free die that came with  my order from Diecember from Simon Says Stamp, I'm not a scallop kind of person, but it also looks like a speech bubble or a thought bubble, so I filled it with words and hearts, thoughts for Valentine.
the speech bubble is from Memory Box (big word pop scalloped), the xoxo is from Lawn Fawn and so is the Love die, the heart is a

stackable I can't remember which brand, but any will do.
I started my diecutting by positioning the scalloped border on a cardpanel, same size as the cardbase, then cut a  strip of gold metallic paper and repeated the process, Attached the gold paper to the white with tape and cut of excess.
then I positioned the golden heart first as I really wanted it there and I didn't mind how the rest would fall into place. I only went outside the frame once, but you can certainly do more half cuts.
Or turn the card and make it a portrait shaped card.
I thought my words were too long for that and instead of being staggered they'd be stacked, which I didn't want.

I then popped a lot of foamsquares on the back to raise the panel, it will cast shadows and define the words.
As the Less is More challenge is white on white with black or metallic colours allowed, that was my goal. I think it has just the right amount of gold shimmer paper.

Anyway I couldn't sleep so I got up at 4.a.m. to make this card for you, 
I'd like to boast it's sheer dedication, but I was too cold to sleep and my brain then went into overload mode putting and end to that exercise, it's now 6a.m and I'm knackered ;-)
So video editing later...going back to bed?

 Congratulations Less is More on your fith anniversary, I hope to take part for at least another five ;-) Keep up the good work, same goes for AAA cards and Inkspirational all blog challenges I love to take part in.

Updated February 20: 

Less is More Challenge #261: down under

Less is More Challenge #261: down under

When I think of down under, I think of surf, bbq's, jungle, vast ranches and farms, lots of bugs and deadly critters, diving on the coral reef, but mainly about people going to trek around the continent.

So that's what I based my card on, actually the second idea as first I wanted to do some kind of coral reef, might still go there ;-)

Anyway I started on a piece on Neenah Solar white cardstock as I intended to color with my Spectrum Noir markers.
I had made a mask with a circle die and sponged in Distress inks with a finger dauber (mowed lawn, ground espresso, mermaid lagoon) I wanted to give the feel of a planet, not geographicaly correct, just a hint of Earth.
Then I found out the little images I intended to use were too big for a normal card size, so I went on to draw a couple of stick figures, bleh...not my best work...too small...ugly ...so I cut out the Earth and stuck him on a big size card, this is 15cmx15cm so 6"x6" or there abouts.
And still the little kids didn't fit! I can't  make the Earth any smaller as that would lookm ore like they're standing ona marble ;-)
This being the biggest size card I can make I went to look for other images and found these baby party animals from Simon Says Stamp. They're kind of waving at each other , so perfect with the sentiment from My Favorite Things (bold sentiments).
Colored my critters in with Spectrum Noir pencils as I didn't want my markers to bleed through to the inside

I tought about this card for two days, how I would go about it etc...and then it doesn't want to do what I have in my head...hate that lol...messed up the missing you already sentiment from Sion Says Stamp (stinking cute) it was nice and small to fit on the inital card....ah well it's just Monday I guess...not my day....will try again tomorrow!


For more information on the Less is More Challenge #261: down under, see this

Simon Says Stamp Exclusives

Simon Says Stamp Exclusives

I got my dies in from the Diecember order, and I love them! the bold painted (brushstroke like) sentiment and the  scribbly flowers from painted roses really caught my fancy so I ordered them! ha

I'd like to enter my card to:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: anything goes with Simon Says Stamp exclusive products
and
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday January 2016: something new



So for my new I used these fabulous dies and the new Distress inks Candied apple, carved pumpkin and an old one mustard seed.

I started by painting 2 panels with the Distress inks, diluted with Perfect pearls mist instead of water, for a glorious shimmer.
I wanted the roses and the sentiment the same, but I changed my mind ;-) Chose black instead.

I diecut the roses from white cardstock first, but I also changed my  mind here and went for black also, the white dissapeared against the white cardbase, so I diecut them again from black and glued them on top of the white, I didn't do a perfect job, on purpose, I kind of liked the drop shadow effect it gives, altough white, not shadow colored ;-)...
I then cut the roses out with scissors.
I diecut Happy Birthday from the card panel and placed the  other watercolored panel behind it.
I thought it was too samey and was detracting attention from the roses and well, we can't have that!
I really like stamping sentiments in black and love bold sentiments so I diecut it all again from white carstock and placed a black card behind the Happy Birthday

I adhered the roses with foamtape at different heights so one, two layers or just flush agaisnt the panel.
I tucked the leaved behind the flowers.
Few dew drops  here and there.
Mounted the panel onto the cardbase with tape runner

For more information about these challenges, click the links
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: anything goes with Simon Says Stamp exclusive products
and
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday January 2016: something new

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #158

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #158

This is my last card as Guest designer for CAS Colours & Sketches.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my entries, I sure had a ball making them.

This card is a bit special as I used the Spectrum Noir aqua markers I won on this blog a few challenges ago.

These markers came in last week and I just had to use them.

Now I chose the floral set as it had lovely purples ;-)

But it has no browns, just  a few oranges and greens and yellows and purples, flower colours...

So for the cat I layered leafy green with marigold to get a orangey brown cat.

His eyes are bud green with meadow yellow.

The background is heather.

I used hot pressed and smooth water colouring paper from Schut 300grams (I think that’s 140lbs).

The idea here was the photo frame, with a picture, maybe a flower, but then I matched the grumpy cat with the sentiment I feel everyone shouts before taking a picture, it all seemed to go together perfectly.

To make the photo frame I used my biggest rectangle die and a square one for the opening.

I die cut a piece of black foam for dimension but also because instant photos always seem(ed) to have a black backing. I haven’t used any instant photos in decades, so excuse me if wrong, I’m ancient ;-)

I then die cut two pieces of white cardstock and layered those.

The sentiment is from Uniko stamps (all occasion sentiments #6) and I stamped it with Versafine black  ink.

The grumpy cat is from Katzelkraft (les chat russe) and I stamped him with StazON because of the water colouring.

Hot pressed paper I think works the best with these markers as it’s less porous so I had time to apply the marker in the places I thought there should be shadows and then faded them out with a brush and water. If you use more porous paper, blending it out is very difficult as the marker ink absorbs into the paper. Also work on small areas at the time. 

Or scribble some ink onto an acrylic block and pickup the ink from there with a brush. To me that defeats the purpose of the  marker though.

 If you have these markers or are looking to get them, try different papers, I’m glad I did ;-) I got to know them well..lol

Attached all layers with tape runner adhesive.

For more information in the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge, see this

Less is More Challenge #260: silhouette

Less is More Challenge #260: silhouette

For my card I was torn between a stamp of silhouette birds and this die.
I chose the die in the end as it involves a few more techniques, mainly partial die cutting
and inlaid diecutting.
I don't know the brand, I've die cut it from black cardstock and the same from marble like patterned paper for the sky.
the stamp is Dutch for sincere condoleances and is from Marianne Design, stamped with Versafine black ink.
I've adehered it all onto the cardbase with tape runner.

I'm not good at partial diecutting, so for me this was quite the challenge, but I think it turned out well.
The only thing I don´t like it the photo, I´ve taken it over and over , but somehow I can't get rid of the white edges from the bach flap, so it looks like I didn´t adhere it properly, it bugs me ;-)


For more information on the Less is More Challenge #260: silhouette, see this

Guest Designer call over at Gerda Steiner

Guest Designer call over at Gerda Steiner

A few days ago I got the newsletter with the guest designer call.
It's for the month of March and you can apply too via the link at the bottom of this post.

I used a digital image from Gerda Steiner (kitten in the movingbox) and it's a free one!
I don't have a creditcard so I've never been able to purchase anything but the freebies, but I've just seen that Gerda Steiner now accepts Paypal, so I might have to go and shop later ;-)

I love anything kitty and this image just melted my heart. Cats and their love of  boxes....
here's one of my cats helping me open a box...lol

As the Love and fun boxes were ticked I ignored the moving house part  and made it into a Hello card.
I foiled a heart diecut with red foil and I diecut the hello from black cardstock (not from Gerda Steiner).

On the cardbase I sponged Mermaid lagoon and cracked pistachio Distress inks, the green to ground the image.
I've applied a double layer of foam tape to the image I have cut out. I wanted to give this box some real dimension.
I coloured the image with my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers on Neenah Solar white cardstock. The box is much darker than a "real" box, on purpose..it makes the kitten stand out better.

Being invited as a guestdesigner on a couple of blogs lately really has given my the confidence to apply for this opportunity, what an honour it would be!

I encourage you to apply too, all the inforamtion you need and the link up can be found here

I am not really sure what they're looking for and as I love CAS cards I tried to showcase my style

Anyway:  good luck!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: red

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: red


I made a little gift, a little box for one of those jumbo or xxl scented tealights. Mine are from Ikea but I think the size is standard.

I used Simon Says Stamp (schoolhouse red) cardstock and for the patterned cardstock a piece of 12x12"paper from Jillibean Soup (heart healthy red bean soup-bay leaves) for the heart.

I also used the new Lawn Fawn XOXO die in red and white and instead of a cigar band or belly band I closed the box with some unbranded washitape.


At first I only diecut the xoxo in the same red, but it was all too matchy match, it almost disappeared, so I slightly offset a white one, to give it a kind of drop shadow.

few clear rhinestones from Hero Arts and foamtaep to raise the heart diecut off the box

To make the box you'll need a piece of paper that is 4"1/8 by 7"1/4
you score it on the long side at 7/8, 3"1/4, 4"1/8 and 6"3/8
on the short side you score it at  7/8 and 3"1/4

cut and glue as indicated on the photo (not precisely to scale as my grid is in centimeters)

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, see this