Something pretty amazing!

We never cease to be amazed by the fabulous support that we receive for our challenges and now it seems that our following has exceeded 1000 crafters... how amazing is that?

1000 FOLLOWERS

We are SO thrilled by the support of all you lovely LIMettes that we have decided to give a little candy to celebrate passing the 1000 follower milestone. Rather than just give the small prize to the 1000th follower we have decided to give it to someone who has been a faithful follower and participant for many, many weeks.

So JAN of Loves to Craft 

please email us with your contact details and your prize will be on  its way!

Thank you everyone and here's to your continued support!

Week 30 - Recipe

We loved looking at your entries again last week. You were so inventive and came up with some fabulous ideas!

So this week we are back to Sketch or Recipe

We have chosen a Recipe this time

Take 3 Challenges

We want you to choose 3 from any of our previous 29 and combine them in your design.
There is a list of our previous challenges under the tab heading at the top of our blog and you can also see the previous sketches under a separate tab.

Please state which 3 you have chosen.
NB There is no need to adhere to the One Layer if that is on the week you choose.

You may wish to go for your favourites or maybe your least...acetate springs to mind!

Most of all, be creative, have fun, remember our white space and the all important

"Less is More"

Mandi

Chrissie and I adore white on white, so we were bound to both choose it as one of our three!
[Hers is a total knockout, I'm in awe!]
For my first the card base is 6" square, the Decorative Accent swirl is Sizzix, then X Cut punches for the flowers. Sentiment done on computer, Nuptial font
Week 6 Off the Edge
 Week 13 Congratulations or Thank you
Week 14 White on White
[also Week 15 Embossing]

 

 For my second card, I took  inspiration from a vase of articifical flowers Mum has.
My card is combining challenges

Week 4 3 Squares
Week 15 Embossing
Week 9 Touch of Red
I cut 3 squares 3.5,3 and 2.5cm and embossed them with Swiss dots folder. Once I knew where they were to go I stamped the branch from a retuiresd Stampin Up set 'For All you Do' The flower heads are from the same set, stamped in SU Real Red and cut out. I have used glossy accents on the larger flower head. The other leaves are from one of my favourite dies from Crealies. The sentiment is Penny Black to finish off. I placed it to fit the 'vase' step.







                                                        Chrissie

For my 3 challenges I chose ...
Week 14 - White on White,
Week 15 - Embossing and
Week 16 - Butterflies.
After I had done it I realised that it also fitted with
Week 13 - Congratulations,
Week 23 - Something with Legs and
Week 29 - Things that Move.
It has three kinds of embossing... regular dry embossing, heat embossing with Silver Pearl EP and Letterpress embossing which is achieved by cutting a shape with a Nestie (a rectangle in this case), which was then placed  (still in the die) on top of an Impressability template and embossed using my tan mat.
Not much stamping but lots of die-cutting and layering, yet retaining lots of white space.
Marianne Creatables  spray, SU tiny butterflies, Cuttlebug large butterfly. Nesties.

This card combines the challenges from
 Week 4 Three Squares,
Week 18 - Monochrome &
Week 25 Button or Ribbon.
Incidentally it also fits with
Week 15 Embossing
Week 16 - Butterflies
Week 23 - Things with Legs
Week 28 - Use Ink &
Week 29 Things that move
Quite a bumper bundle, with lots of emboss resist stamping and ink sponging, using my fab Katzelkraft stamps which were part of my birthday present from lovely buddy Mandi, I just love them!

So now it's your turn, we'd love to see how you combine our challenges... and do have fun!

ShowCASe Use Ink

Well this was an EXTREMELY difficult job to choose our ShowCASe  with so many wonderful, wonderful submissions. We thought that everyone should be congratulated on a brilliant inky job!

However, we want to mention just a few, in no particular order, whose work caught our eyes this week.

Tilly

Michelle

Lililindsay

Carole

Please grab our ShowCASe  banner ladies and Thank you SO much!

We could have chosen SO many, so congratulations to everyone who took part and especially these fabulous LIMettes!

Week 29 - Theme

 Goodness, what a fabulous response to our INKY challenge!

There were so many truly stunning entries and the range of techniques was so extensive and varied.

Wonderful, wonderful work, thank you all SO much!

Choosing our showcase this time will certainly be a tricky task!

 Now onto this week's challenge which is a 'Theme' and we would like to see

Things that Move

This could be interpreted in a variety of ways...an actual moving component on your card, so a pop up, a shaker, a spinner, a charm, a tag... we could go on... 

On the other hand your card could have an image of something capable of movement, so the scope for that is almost infinitesimal!

Whatever you do, we're sure that all you LIMettes will be totally creative!

Chrissie

This card, using the SU Joie stamp set has several butterflies on it... all capable of movement, and the cut-out one is only attached through the body section and so the wings can be raised.

It was made with a mixture of emboss resist and overstamping plus a little inking too.

This one, for a newborn, has Pink Petticoat paper and an SU image embossed in silver and coloured with Copics. The ribbon holds a small silver coloured charm, which can waggle from side to side (the moving element) and the name has been added using Cuttlebug's Baby Face Alphabet.

A quick tip when adding small bits and pieces like these letters, is to add Double Sided Tape to the back of the card before running it through the'bug, so all you have to do is peel and stick once they are cut.

The baby carriages in the image (IRL) are also capable of movement.
I had intended making a spinner card this week, but we have had our grandchildren staying and so craft time was zilch... however you may like to see a few spinner and slider cards I made in true Blue Peter style... earlier!
SPINNER CARDS (Please click)
SLIDER CARDS


Mandi

My card base is Stampin up Crumb Cake, The plant Stamp is Stampabilities   I thought the leaves matched the scrap of Stamping Up Speciality DP 'Sweet & Sour' The butterfly [my something that moves] is Papermania. I guess you could say the plant moves too! I stamped using Versamark Ultrafine, 'Onyx Black' which I thank Vicky for, as she recommend it last week for its proper blackness, I love it!
For Stampin up supplies please contact me here

ShowCASe - Colours of Your Flag

What fabulous entries we had again, amazing just how many countries share our red/white and blue!

Without further ado we are delighted to annouonce the following as our showCASe entries.

All so different, but, so fabulous too!

Thank you ladies, do hope you will display our banner on your sidebar

See you tomorrow with our new challenge

Debby

Lynne

Anne

Jen

Loli

Thanks again ladies

Week 28 - One Layer

We were delighted to see so many nations represented in our 'Colours of your Flag' challenge last week, how wonderful that the love of crafting links so many of us worldwide.

Once more we are back to the second week of the month and so our challenge is for a 

ONE LAYER CARD

If you are not sure of the principles of this genre, do check out our Guidelines at the top of our blog.

The special feature we would like to see this week is for you to 

USE INK
** This does include ink pads **

...hopefully in a way you haven't tried before.... or using a favourite technique.

If you can avoid using the computer this week, that would be great, but we wouldn't want to to miss a week if the computer is your only method of card making.

Mandi

This week is very Chrissie, not very Mandi lol

I hate getting my fingers inky and don't do inky backgrounds ever! But, I had a bash.

This technique is in various forms around blog world, but, I kinda adapted in my own way!

I took an acryllic block and with my water brush added a few drops of water to LuminArte H2o's Persimmon and Pink Azalea, so I had puddles of colour. Using the water brush to pick up the colour I then dabbed a few areas onto the block. I knew roughly where I wanted them to be. You need to pay particular attention to how close the drops are as they spread lots and merge together. Great if that's what you want! I did and didn't as you can see. 

 [Also keep away from the edges of the block as it creates a line]

If your blobs look a little too wet it's best to take the excess off with the edge of a tissue, let it soak it up, rather than dab.

 Turn the block over and press onto your card. Hold for a few moments, lift off. Voila!

Once dry I stamped with the Flamingo [Stampabilities] added ribbon and gems.

You can use numerous different inks for this technique, watercolour crayons, and if you prefer you can also spritz with water for a different look. It's all about experimenting really and although I'm a complete novice at anything like this, I do have to admit I quite enjoyed it AND have clean fingers!

Chrissie

I went shopping for a mustard inkpad, but ended up buying the inks you see here instead... and I am delighted with them.

They are from Adirondack and the colours are Pebble, Lake Mist and Pesto.

I masked the card with Post Its and sponged the colours into the gap with some cut 'n' dry foam. (I have run out of spare Sponge Daubers, so I must order some more from Mandi!)

The stamps I used are from Indigo Blu, with just a few additional leaves from Inkylicious to fill in some gaps at the bottom.

The umbrella (umbellate) plant stamp was added after the upper masks had been removed. I find building up a scene in this way is really satisfying. If you haven't tried it, give it a go... you may enjoy it!

I find this one rather serene.

Showcase - Feeling Fruity

We had yet another difficult task to choose a showcase for this week, but after lots of thought here are our choices for the Fruity Challenge

Vicki

Tracy

Anne

Thank you all for your participation with these stunning cards, please take our Showcase badge to display on your blogs.

Well done everyone!

Week 27- Colour

Some luscious entries were made in our challenge this last week and our mouths were watering looking at some of the fabulous creations.

Our Sponsor this month is Ruth from A Passion For Stamps, who is generously donating 8 digi images to August's winner.
There is a little information from Ruth on our sidebar, do visit her site and check out her fabulous images.

This week it's time for another colour challenge and for your delectation this week, we have decided to ask you make a card  using the 

COLOURS 

of 

YOUR NATION'S FLAG!

We should be able to see quite a variety of colours this week as we are fortunate enough to have crafters from all around the world sharing in our challenges. If you could describe the colours of your flag or include an image of it, that would be great.

We (Mandi & Chrissie) have the option of our English, St. George's flag or the  Union Jack, of the United Kingdom
 We decided to do one to represent each!



Chrissie

My 'English' card consists of a SU heart from the retired Mon Ami set, mounted on a length of rescued ribbon and some Pink Petticoat Harlequin paper. The latter two being placed on a sections of card with the sides embossed to form a finished edge.

The sentiment from Personal Impressions was cut by a large rectangular Nestie, passed twice through the Cuttlebug to scale down the size.

My 'British' card is for my niece who is about to move into a new house. I saw these stamps yesterday and although rather pricey in the venue where I saw them, I just couldn't resist them. They are from Dylusions by Dyan Reavley. The blue is a tad darker than it really should be, but I hope we can put that down to artistic licence! The spotty section is from a Waltzing mouse stamp and the sentiment from Stampin' Up.

I'm sorry the photographs are dreadful, even with Picasa's help... I may try to improve on them later.

Mandi
'English Rose' was in my head and it wasn't going anywhere!! lol

I decided to take the top right segment of the flag for my design.
Supplies used
15cm [6"] square card base
All from Stampin Up
'Real Read' ink, 'Real Red' card, 'Little Leaves' Sizzlit die, Growing Green stamp set, 'Silver Glass Glitter' for the centres of the flowers, 'Boho Blossoms' punch and a tiny punch I had free on a magazine years ago.

For my second card, again 15cm [6"] square card base. I firstly cut 2 blue and 2 red 4.5 cm squares and stamped the Rubber Stampede 'Etched Rose Background' stamp in Versamark. I then heat embossed with white embossing powder. I particularly cut the squares first, so whilst it was more fiddly, it meant the embossing wouldn't crack and come off if I cut them afterwards. I stuck to the card as shown, then made a rolled 'English' rose, die by Marianne. The leaves are Crealies, as the leaves that came with the rose die were a little large.

For Stampin Up supplies  please feel free to contact me via here

We shall look forward to seeing your cards maybe your flags too!


Have a good week.

ShowCASe for Ribbon and or Button Week

We are delighted to show you our choices for the showCASe entries we chose for 

Theme week Ribbon or Button

We are sure you will agree these are all fantastic cards. AS you can see we had a difficult choice deciding this week!

Thank you ladies.

Please display our winning badge on your blog.

In no particular order

Ann Y

Sasha

Heather T

Anita

Shelley

Michelle

July Winner

We have lots of discussions about who should be selected to win any of our monthly prizes and there are lots of reasons for the choice of specific LIMettes... all the winners are dedicated LIMettes by the way!

This month we have chosen 

Rosemary 

and we're sure you'll all agree that Rosemary adds so much to our challenges with her inspirational cards. She always pays such attention to detail and we can't remember her missing a week since she first began submitting entries  to "Less is More".

Thank you Rosemary do please grab our Winner's badge, which we hope you'll display on your blog with pride.