More Than One Stamp for LIM #174

The challenge this week over at Less is More is to use more than one stamp. Well, for this card I've managed three: the flower image, "Happy" and the dotty background. I've also just realised that I can enter this months "Tags and Scraplings" challenge over at Virginia's View. I *just* qualify because the ribbon is recycled (it was originally on a blouse!)

This was one of those cards where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Still, the end result was more or less exactly what I'd set out to achieve and as it's for my oldest friend it's worth it.

The tag & birthday word (from the Birthday Words set at Miss Kate Cuttables) were cut on my Eclips. The stamped flower was coloured with Promarkers, there's a close-up of it here (and I did re-do the dodgy petal before I sent it!):

Cardstock: Limetree Crafts, Coredinations Fuchsia Fizz

Stamps: Stampin' Up Reason to Smile

Inspired by Stamping Fancy Sentiments

Personal Impressions Marion Emberson Designs Polkadot Background PICSA6186

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid

Promarkers: Peony, Fresh Bloom, Pear Green

Doodlebug Designs Enamel Dots

Cricket, Lovely Cricket!

Wonders will never cease - two entries for this week's LIM die cut challenge! The added challenge I set myself at this time every year is to come up with something different on a cricket theme for our nephew's birthday.

This particular card was inspired by Chrissie's cards using Memory Box dies. I downloaded some free cricket pictures from the internet, did a huge amount of editing, welding etc in Craft Artist 2 Professional & Ecal before cutting the finished article on my Sizzix Eclips. My original attempt at clear embossing the greeting then overspraying with Promarkers using my airbrush was a dismal failure, so I re-did the airbrushing then overstamped instead with a greeting by Clearly Besotted. A few brads (coloured with Promarkers) kept the overall look CAS.

White cardstock: Limetree Crafts

Green cardstock: Coredinations Mantis

Promarkers: Pear Green, Olive Green

Ink: Yinks Olive Green

Greeting stamp: Clearly Besotted

Arigatou!

Last week our 14 year old son - after 2 years of extremely hard work - became a 2nd Dan black belt at karate. Not only that, he improved his points score by 6 over his 1st Dan grading score, so to say Mum & Dad are proud would be a huge understatement! He owes his success in no small measure to a teacher called Steve, who notices the little things that make a big difference, so this card is to say thanks ("Arigatou" in Japanese, apparently!) to him.

I downloaded the image as an SVG from the internet & cut it on my Sizzix Eclips. The stamp, by American Crafts, was inked up in 3 colours of Hero Arts ink then embossed with clear embossing powder. Although the ink is supposed to be quick drying I've found that if I've got everything ready beforehand, the ink stays wet just long enough to emboss it. The background was created using various masks & stamps in second/third generation inking.

 Stamps: American Crafts 59006 Thanks Lg,

Inspired by Stamping Guitars (background splats)

Inks: Hero Arts Soft Granite, Charcoal, Black

Stencil: Crafter's Workshop Mini Punchinella