less is more childrens

well, here we are with a different computer which has taken me all day to try and fathom out ! quick post then. The them over at less is more this week which you can find here is baby or childrens cards. I used Magnolia stamps for my card which never see the light of day nowadays. I got sidetracked into buying them before realising they weren`t really my style Lol not that there is anything wrong with them, I just cannot do the whole hundred layers of papers and embellishment thing. I used copics for my colouring. Better get a shuffle on now to link it before it closes !

Just to let you all know my blog will come to a halt for a bit. I turned on my computer this morning to scan in my card to blog and nothing. I think the moniter has gone kaput. I am blogging this from my daughters laptop but being technically challenged do not know how to connect all the printer and stuff to this one. So until I can get another computer up and running I may well be taking an enforced break from challenges for a while. I shall still visit them to keep up to date so I shall be there in spirit. It just never rains but it pours does it ? hope to get back into blogland soon x Lavinia

artful times birds

Over at the Artful times challenge blog which you can find here the theme is birds. Now I have a `thing` about bird stamps, I cannot resist buying them because I love them. However, all inspiration seems to have left me at the moment. All I seem to do these days is work and come home then go back to work again. Never mind, I did manage to make a tag although its not my finest hour. I used distress inks in chipped sapphire, tumbled glass and broken china for the background using the wrinkle free distress technique. I then oversponged using a crafters workshop pattern template , oh and a hero arts old french writing stamp. The bird image is from Chocolate Baroque stamped onto a piece of their patterned paper in versafine. I then sewed my flower and button onto the bottom. So thats my paltry effort this time round Lol hopefully the next challenge will see me more rested and refreshed. I could sooo do with a holiday. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

less is more 3 stamps

I am so behind with everything at the moment. I have been doing lots of overtime which will be fine when my wages come but everything is falling waaay behind ! Over at the less is more challenge blog which you can find here the challenge set is to do a one layer card using three stamps. Must admit this caused me a bit of head scratching as to what to do at first. Not sure I`m particulary pleased with my effort either but am really pushed for time at the minute. I used a cream card blank, versafine sepia ink, three stamps from a Chocolate Baroque Key to my dreams themeplate and a few sparkly stones. Um and that was it. Simples ? you think, the trouble with stamping directly onto a card blank of course is that if you muck it up, you have to start again ! Don`t ask how I know Lol. I`m sure everyone has made a far more pleasing attempt than mine so I am off to have a nosey x Lavinia

artful times challenge

Two posts in one day ! this rainy weather is doing wonders for my crafting Lol. Right I will post photos but bear in mind they are dismal. Will try to take another set when we actually get some sunshine.

The challenge over at artful times which you can find here is time. For some reason nothing imediately jumped to mind even though this is such a popular theme. Then I decided to go with something different and try a chunky ATC. I say chunky, mine is slimline because that was the only size wood my husband had in the garage so it is not 2 1/2 inches wide. The above is the front panel, clock background paper with a stamped clock and glossy accents, and Tim Holtz sprocket gears. These are the two side panels

I used Ranger foil sheets embossed in a Tim Holtz folder. I used Tims tip of layering the foil onto glossy card first before running through the folder. This makes such a difference giving a much more clear crisp result. The final panel is this one

I used distress inks and a Chocolate Baroque tree stamp. The picture is awful I know, but there is an epoxy sticker that says time, I have hand written just to be under that. I did order some lovely posh Tim Holtz feet for the bottom but they were just a tad too big. I had to use some plastic beads instead. Never mind, I have four beautiful feet for another project ! x Lavinia

less is more - yellow

Over at less is more challenge blog which you can find here the challenge this week is to use yellow on your creation. I love yellow but don`t very often use it when making something. I should use it more often I think. I was going to make just a one layer card, working directly onto the card blank. However, my first attempt went well until I decided to use the new distress markers directly onto the girls face stamp and stamp it onto the card blank. That technique just did not work with this outline style stamp, there was just not enough definition especially with the sun behind her. That was when I then discovered that that was the last white square card blank I had ! grrr, I really must make a list of basic card supplies and restock. Its all very well buying new stamps etc but then you forget you actually need the basics to work on Lol. So then it was plan B. I found some yellow card blanks, used the back of my card disaster no 1 to savalage something and started again. I made a mask to sponge distress inks in scattered straw, mustard seed and wild honey through for my sun. I overstamped the birds from Tim Holtz over the top. I then stamped the girl which is a Paperbag stamp in black archival and watercoloured her with the distress markers which worked out much better. Another Tim Holtz scratch stamp gave a bit more interest round the edge. Matted onto black gloss card and finished with a Tim Holtz sentiment. I like the contrast of the black with the bright yellow. I hope it fits in with the Less is more criteria but will completely understand if it doesn`t. Thanks for looking x Lavinia