Witches' Brew

I love having the chance to blog hop around, being on a couple of DTs helps a lot as I really do get around a bit (in the nicest possible way).  It was this that led to my discovery of a challenge blog that really pushed my buttons Cup Cake Inspirations- using cupcakes to inspire cards? It was like it was made for me.  I browsed through some of their previous challenges and the cupcakes are incredible! Look at these for this week's challenge

I have chosen to use the colour combination for my inspiration.  Halloween doesn't really do it for me - don't think I've ever made a Halloween card in my life! We don't send them here in the UK, even trick or treating (which my kids do) is frowned upon by many.  But, who could fail to enjoy these cakes, and that lovely chartreuse colour got me thinking of cocktails.  Here's my (almost) one layer card

I used a set  from Stampin' Up called Happy Hour to create my image  The 'bubbles' were inspired from the sprinkles on the cake.It was going to be one layer but then a bit of a slip meant that I had to mat the sentiment - I'm sure we've all been there! .Hope I'm not too wide of the mark of the DT expectations. I look forward to many more cupcake inspired cards! As I used my promarkers to colour the cocktails  I'm also going to enter the Make your Mark challenge at Addicted To Stamps and More

Silver Swallowtail

Using my Swallowtail stamp for the card in my previous post gave me an idea for a card for the one layer challenge at Less Is More but I didn't think I would make the deadline.  Lucky me, I got out of work early today and came home to craft with this card already to go in my head (That's the tricky part, a great idea in your head).  As well as one layer the card must be shaped, anything except square or rectangular.  So, butterfly shaped then?

The most difficult part was deciding on a colour scheme. Of course there isn't a die cut for this stamp so my card is cut freehand.  I must admit I've had a few goes to get it just right, never sure how much to cut around fiddly bits like antennae, but this one looked the best to me. It is heat embossed in silver - you can see it better in the second pic below

I thought this might make an unusual wedding card.
First challenge I've been able to enter for ages, holidays now so I hope to do some more.

Rose, Turquoise and Sand

Hello! I have two cards for you today and that's because they were both inspired by the colour challenge at Addicted To Stamps and More

combined with the CAS one layer challenge at Make My Monday. Why two? Well, I made the first one and added a small piece of turquoise twine , then I actually read the post at MMM and found that they want not only no layers but no embellishments either! I tried remaking the first card without the twine but then another quite different card popped out!
Here they are

I really like this colour combo.  For the first card I used Perfectly Preserved stamp set and for the second a set called Charming, both from Stampin' Up. The sentiment on the second card is from Friendly Phrases, a really useful sentiment set, the sentiments being just a little bit different.

Spots and Stripes

When you think of spots and stripes do you think of geometrical cards? Well, I was working along those lines for the one-layer challenge at Less Is More when I opened my drawer of stamp sets and saw this set, my current favourite. So, here's my take on spots and stripes..

The spots were such fun, and I must admit I borrowed the idea for bubble wrap stamping from my lovely team mate over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown -Mynnette (check out her blog for more brilliant ideas, I am sure she won't mind!).  I think I should have stamped off first for a more subtle effect, but I do like it! As for the stripes, well you get it don't you! I sponged a little very light blue sky just to highlight the image. I added a sentiment to make what hopefully is a great masculine birthday card.
Off to create more now as I have the whole morning to craft, yipee!

All In a Row

I am always inspired by the fabulous cards at Less Is More, the DT there are so talented and the many entries each week are all inspiring. I keep trying to match the high standards and this week I've had another try at a one layer card. When I first started crafting these terrified me, but now I quite often make them, there is something very CAS about a one layer.  This is probably one of my most minimalist cards ever!

The theme is All in a Row, and this stamp image came to mind. I've not used it before but bought it because I have seven little adorable pet quails and I hadn't found a quail stamp before. I first masked off most of the card and stamped the Daddy quail in Versamark, heat embossing him in silver. Then I masked him off and stamped the whole image again. This time I heat embossed Mummy quail and the babies in copper.  I have added some shading with a Promarker.  I have thought and thought about a sentiment, but I think it just doesn't need one - I'll add something inside later. This is my favourite LIM card from my efforts so far.  Hope you like it too.

Sun

I just found a new challenge blog- Casology where they put up a cue card and off you go! The cue card for this week said 'Sun'.Well, we've seen so little of it I was inspired to make this warm, jungle/oriental one layer card. I stamped and coloured the parakeets and then masked them whilst I brushed in the sun, using my Big and Juicy Sunset ink pad.  The bamboo is made with my Promarkers, leaving each stroke on for a second to make the joints in the stems. A little Hello sentiment from the SU Pennant parade set and it's all finished, very quickly! A true 5 minute card.

Sketch Challenge

From one card another is born! The pink green and white theme from my previous post spilled over into this card Which I have made for the sketch challenge on Simply Stamping this week.This is the first time I've tried to follow a sketch, so I hope I have not deviated too far! This is a simple, one layer card. I stamped this little flower stamp from Easy Events, and then, masking the flowers, stamped the green square over the top just using the spots. I made the border using the scalloped spotty ribbon, and finished off with a little pink gem on each corner. I even had time to make the matching envelope!

Mmm Strawberries

Over on St Luke's Charity Cards blog there is a challenge for one layer cards. Now, I'm not good at one layer..I'm much too messy and prone to splodging, but here is my card.  I embossed the dots and sentiment and then stamped the delicious-looking strawberry from SUs Fruit and Flowers, using my promarkers I added the green tops and shading.  A dotty ribbon and little bow along the edge and I added red bling 'hightlights' to the strawberries. Mmm good enough to eat!  I will be sending my card off to the charity so, hopefully, they will be able to sell it and raise a little money. St Lukes charity cards challenge