3-2-1 at "Less is More"

This week it's a
RECIPE

3 - 2 - 1

This week there is a simple idea to use as the focus of your cards at 

Less is More

All that you need to do is to incorporate 3 of something, 2 of something and 1 of something else!

I used 3 "words", 2 "butterflies" and 1 "hand drawn rectangle". The word stamp is from PTI and the Butterflies are from Inky Antics.

I've been super busy with work and emergency room visits, so I'll be around to see all my blogging friends soon!!! Got major withdrawal symptoms!

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

2*4*6*8 Help Flourishes Celebrate

Welcome to the 2*4*6*8  'Help Flourishes Celebrate Challenge'.  At 2PM, 4PM, 6PM and 8PM (Central Standard Time), Flourishes is going to be ushering in some fun-filled challenges on August 15th. The deadline to enter all of these challenges is August 31 @ 5 PM (EST). There's still time for you to play along for a chance to win a stamping prize package.

On to the 2PM challenge.....This challenge is sweet as can be — just use a focal image or sentiment that is SWEET! 

The stamps are from the Cherries and Peaches set which can be seen HERE. The cherries were colored with Copic markers, then highlighted with glossy accents. The papers are from a Heidi Grace paper pack, edger is from Fiskars, ribbons and cherry rhinestones are from JoAnns.

This is the photo that was shown to begin this 5th Birthday Celebration at Flourishes:

Be sure to scroll down to see the great challenges at 4PM, 6PM and 8PM. The challenges are open till August 31 @ 5PM (EST), so grab some papers and play along with this Birthday Celebration!


Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

4PM "Celebrate Color Challenge"

So glad you came back to check out the 4PM challenge for the 2*4*6*8 "Help Flourishes Celebrate". This challenge is all about 'color' hues from the inspirational photo.

This beautiful bouquet of flowers is from the 'Summer Blossoms' set which can be seen HERE. The image was colored with Copic markers, embossing folder is Cuttlebug, flourish die from MFT, flowers, ribbon, pearls, button and twine from my stash. The flowers were highlighted with a Sakura Stardust gel pen.

To help celebrate Flourishes 5th Birthday here is the inspirational photo with the 'color hues' for the 4PM challenge:

Please scroll down to see the marvelous challenge for 6pm!!

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

6PM "Sprinkles on Top Challenge"

Welcome back to the 2*4*6*8   "Help Flourishes Celebrate Challenges". The challenge for 6PM is about adding sprinkles onto your card or creation — Glitter? Beads? Flower Soft? You choose! Just sprinkle on some fun!

I chose to use some red glittery embossing powder and Stickles for my "sprinkles on top". Cuttlebug embossing folders were used to add texture. SB supplied the lovely shapes and the stamps are from the Flowers and Frames set which can be seen HERE.  I won this set beautiful set from a previous challenge. Thank you Flourishes for the opportunity to win some of these gorgeous stamp sets!

This is a close up showing some the lovely sparkle from the embossing powder and the stickles. The flowers were colored with Copic markers.

Here is the 6PM inspirational photo:

Be sure scroll cown to check out what's coming in the 8PM challenge...you don't want to miss it!

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

8PM "A Banner Day Challenge"

This is the last of the 2*4*6*8 "Help Flourishes Celebrate Challenges". The 8PM challenge is to use a banner or pennant style embellishment on your card or creation!  

The 'banner' paper is from a Basic Grey pad, I used an craft knife to cut a few of the banners, so that they would lay on top of my SB cut shape. The Flourishes Carousel Horse image was colored with Copic marker, the white twine and rhinestones were from my stash.The metal brad in the top left corner was actually an scalene angled triangle...I cut the top off with a pair of tin snips to form an acute isosceles triangle, then outlined it with a Copic marker.  Before you think I'm a math wizard.....hahaha....I got the triangle info HERE.

This is the inspirational photo for the 8PM challenge.

This is the last challenge to celebrate Flourishes 5th birthday so......I'm back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

LIM Tearing

The challenge this week at Less is More is to use 'tearing' on a CAS card. I decided to avoid my usual 'distressed' look with 'tearing' and instead "tried" to keep in white and clean and simple! I figure if it was easy it wouldn't be called a challenge, so I really challenged myself with this card.

The sentiment, hot air balloon and the clouds are from PTI. Copic markers were used on the balloon. I punched a circle in a piece of scrap paper and sponged yellow dye ink inside to make the faux sun. The same sponge was used to lightly highlight the edges of the mountains......the hills are alive.....ha ha now you'll have that song stuck in your mind for the rest of the day!

Back to creating cards inn my Butterfly Garden.

Splish-Splash

Splish...Splash I was takin a bath...etc. Remember that song? Just nod your head if you do. Now that you have that tune swirling around in your head.... On to the challenge from CAS-ual Fridays. This week's challenge is to create a project featuring something you might see in or at the ocean. So get out of the tub and check out this challenge!

I simply love 'sunsets' at the ocean, so this is me relaxing in a chair watching the sun go down. Yellow cs and stamps that were used on this card are from Raisin Boat, embossing folder is Cuttleug.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

A Black Tie Sketch

This is Black Tie week at Dynamic Duos with the dessert option to use 'brads'. I combined these colors on a great sketch from Retro Sketches.

The stamp is from HA, Eiffel Tower die cut MFT, dp Basic Grey and ribbon from Michaels. The flower and large brad in the center are from my stash. Copic markers were used to color the flesh and the handbag, glitter was applied to the Eiffel Tower.

This is the Dynamic Duo color palette for the week:

Here is the lovely sketch from Retro Sketches:

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

"Kraft" Mojo

Cindy is the hostess for the Timeless Tuesday Challenge at Flourishes this week. The challenge is to use Kraft paper on your project.  There is a delightful sketch challenge at Mojo Monday, so I decided to combine these challenges.

The Magnolia Stamp Set was used for the main image on this card. It was embossed with black detail embossing powder and colored with Prisma colored pencils. The sentiment is from the Tiny Flowers and  Tags set. (I won this FAB set!!!)

This is the great sketch that was used for inspiration to create my card.

You too could be a winner but you can't win if you don't play along...so grab some papers and give these challenges a try.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

A Two Color Sketch

***This card was chosen as a Dynamic Darling at Dynamic Duos***

Beautiful colors this week at the Dynamic Duos Challenge, soft and feminine! I combined these two colors with the challenge at Retro Sketches.

The flourish and the embossing folder that was used for the bg is from Sizzix, doily is PTI, dotted Swiss embossing folder from Cuttlebug and butterfly is C.C. Designs.


This is the dynamic Duo color combo:

The great sketch from Retro Sketches:

A special "howdy" and "welcome" to Chris, Linda and Lesley who have become my newest followers. So happy that you are joining me on my journey through the blogosphere.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

Fur or Feathers and Squares

***This car won a Top 3 Award from DYSU***

Time for a one layer card challenge at Less is More.

The subject of your creations should feature FUR or FEATHERS.

The challenge at CAS-ual Fridays is to create a CAS Square card.

The challenge at DYSU is to celebrate those great creatures God put in this planet to make us happy, yes we are talking about the four legged friends.  

  

No embellishments can be used to cover up mistakes! This requires perfection when stamping with a black ink pad....if you use three stamps it requires perfection times three...if it is a one layer card...you get the idea...Don't drop the stamp, don't wiggle the stamp, stamp straight up and down etc. Bonus....the card will fit into an envelope with out extra postage.

Stamps from Penny Black, See D's and Whimsy. Colored with Prisma colored pencils and blended with Gamsol.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

A Bit of Texture

To help showcase the new stamps sets being released for August, Flourishes is hosting a "Bit of Texture" noon time challenge. You could win the entire release if your name is chosen.

The verse and the image are from the Hello Hyacinth stamp set. Copic markers were used to color the image.

Glossy Accents were applied to the vase, embossed background is from a SB folder, textured ribbon from Michaels, pearl centers in the flowers were made with a pearl pen and the edger is from Fiskar.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

Happy 5th Birthday

Flourishes is celebrating their Fifth Birthday this week. They are having a Birthday Wishes Challenge.

Happy Birthday Flourishes and wishing you many, many more celebrations.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

A Duo Sketch

***This card won Honorable Mention***

Today's card is for the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday sketch challenge and the color challenge at Dynamic Duos.

The stamped image from Flourishes was colored with Copic markers. Embossing folder is Sizzix, dp from Basic Grey, die cuts SB,  polka dots stamp and zig zag die are PTI.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

Blue and Green

Had a few minutes to check out the challenges this morning....one stated to make a card in "your signature style".  ' Wow how great'......I thought......then I tried to figure out what my 'signature style' is!?! I love to try different styles...I'm still evolving! Just what is my style?? Would love to know what you perceive it to be.

After my returned mail a few weeks ago, I was determined to make cards that were CAS so they could fit into an envelope. So in addition to filling my 'men's basket' with cards, I am working on CAS.  The Less is More challenge for this week caught my attention. Having made so many cards with 3 or 4 colors, it is really challenging for me to stick to two colors. But I love a challenge so I thought I would give it a try.

The challenge is to make a card with BLUE and GREEN.  There is an old saying.....
Blue & Green should not be seen, Unless there's a colour in between!  In this day and age no colour combo is taboo, in some cases the wilder the better.

The stamps are from Hanko, Ric Rac and embossing plate are from PTI. The image was colored with Copic markers and Stickles were lightly applied inside the balloons.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

CASE the DT

Ally is the hostess this week for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge. She is challenging everyone to CASE a Design Team Members card. Fun, fun, fun. As I was looking through the gallery, I was constantly drawn to cards that were designed by Barbara Anders so I thought I would case one of her cards. She did all the work...I just copied :-) Easy....Peasy!

The sentiment is from the 'Flowers and Frames' set and image is  'From the desk of ' set.  The image was colored with Copic markers.

This is Barbara's card that inspired me to create my card.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.

Monochromatic Duos

***This card won Honorable Mention***

This is monochromatic week at Dynamic Duos.  Lesley is also hosting a Tic Tac Toe challenge at The Paper Players. I combined both challenges.

The floral stamp is from Bo Bunny, the papers are from K and Co and Fancy Pants. The punches are from Hanko, ovals from SB, Cream Pearl Pen from Viva and ribbon from JoAnn's.

For this card I followed the bottom row across for Tic Tac Toe....Floral, Ribbon and Punches.

Back to creating cards in my Butterfly Garden.