Thanks and Hope

Less Is More Challenge is turning eight! I can't believe it has been 8 years since Less Is More started up. Back then, I was just beginning to develop my cardmaking craft. I was all about layers, ribbon and embellishments. I made myself try the CAS style as a result of Less Is More's entry to the blog world, and over time, I learned to embrace and to love it. Today, it is largely my style of cardmaking. Happy Birthday Less Is More!

Our sponsor for this birthday month is Uniko.

Click HERE to visit the UNIKO store.

Bev, Uniko owner, is one of our wonderful Guest Designers. It's Uniko's 7th birthday month, so there's a whole lot of birthday going on! Check out Bev's blog for a ton of inspiration, and leave her some love and birthday wishes.

Also designing with us for this challenge are Chrissie Stokes, Co-Founder of Less Is More; Sarah Platt, long time LIM Designer and Challenge Administrator; and Sarah Gray, Designer Extraordinaire and owner of Funky Fossil Designs. 

My first card is created with Uniko's Originally Organic and Paradise Hummingbird Stamps and Dies. The floral image is stamped with Versafine Magestic Blue Ink, clear embossed, colored with Copics and die cut. When I was happy with the placement of the die cut, I adhered it to the card base and added the image. 

For my second card, I used three shades of yellow Distress Oxide ink and acetate to create the yellow background and added a die cut butterfly using SU Night Of Navy CS and Flutter Zen 1 Layering Dies - CUTplorations from STAMPlorations. 

Please head over to the Less Is More Blog for challenge details. Check out the gorgeous work of the Design Team, be inspired and play with us for a chance to win. Happy crafting!

Hope Endures

Challenge #65

The current Time Out Challenge is "Inspired By Words". I really love this type of challenge as it leaves so much to the imagination. Here is the quote:

“Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year.” 

You can be inspired of the whole sentiment or just choose one or two words as a starting point for your project.

Here is my take:

I love Autumn. I love the change in weather. Where I live, there are four very distinct seasons. I love the change in foods, clothes, decor... When the leaves die off so much in nature goes to sleep, there is always the promise of spring and rebirth. So there's hope, and that was my thought process in pondering the quote and putting this card together.

Everything on this card is new except the Kraft card base. I used Brushos to make a water color background from which I cut the solid wreath. I sprayed it with Ranger Buttercup Mica Spray to give it a golden sheen. It's gorgeous IRL. All stamps, dies and the sentiment are from Winnie and Walter. The white panel is Tim Holtz Distress Woodgrain Cardstock. It is luscious.

I am also linking this CAS card up to the Stamp Ink Paper Challenge where the current challenge is Clean & Simple.

Thanks so much for stopping in for a visit! Have a wonderful day!!

Let Hope Anchor Your Soul

AAA Cards new game #59 is up. This time, the challenge is EMBOSSING. The winner will receive a $20.00 gift certificate from our wonderful sponsor:

I find that I often look at things with an eye for how I can transform what I see onto a card. Last summer I saw this beach bag behind someone's chair and snapped a pic. (My kids are horrified when I do this, but they are used to it).

It's been on my mind, and I decided to use it for my inspiration for this challenge.  I tried something new (to me) and used a stencil to emboss the red stripes. I masked a square on top of the stencil, on top of the Kraft card base and embossed with red EP.

The stitched square border is popped up to frame the embossed square. I embossed the ocean symbol in aqua EP and placed it on the banner die with the sentiment which is also popped up.  I needed something else in aqua color for balance, so I added the twine to the anchor.

I am linking to the following challenges:

As You See It #125. Highlight a sentiment that speaks to you. This one is so appropriate for so many situations. A message of hope and encouragement. I use it often.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

Materials used:
Paper: PTI Kraft, SU Not Quite Navy, SU Brushed Silver, Neenah Solar White.
Stamps: SSS Sail Away
Accessories: SSS Sail Away Dies, SSS Diagonal Stripe Stencil, WOW Cable Car Red EP, Zing Aqua EP, PTI Square Shaker Shapes, Paper Smooches Anchor Die, Twinery twine, 3M Foam Tape.
Ink: VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black.

Please head on over to the AAA Cards Challenge Blog and check out what my teammates have created to inspire you. Leave them a little love, then join us for our Embossing challenge.

Thank you for stopping by today. As always, your comments are truly appreciated.

Hope

CAS(E) this sketch #138 was my layout inspiration.

This photo for Time Out Challenge #38 inspired my colors and accessories.

I really love the result of this combo. Thank you so much of visiting my blog. I really appreciate your time and your comments.

Supplies Used:

Stamps ~ PTI Background Basics Farm & Barn, SSS Sail Away.

Ink ~ Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate and Enchanted Evening, VersaMark, Memento Tuxedo Black.

Paper ~ Gina K Pure Luxury White, Neenah Solar White, SU Brushed Silver

Accessories ~ SSS Stitched Squares, SS Diagonal Stripes Stencil, SSS Sail Away dies, MFT Die-Namics Fishtail Dies, WOW Cable Car Red EP, Twinery red twine, Copic Markers.