Inky Layers

Despite having a crazy busy first half of Feb & a bleurgh second half I've done pretty well with using up some lingering old stash.  So what went?

1. A set of very dimensional baby girl buttons - Had these forever, got them in a sale & I still have the boy version to use up....
2. Last image on a sheet of Penny Black Stickeroos.
3. The last on a sheet of Fabric stickers (yeah!) Think I only bought these because they were a bargain lol!
4. Last image on a sheet of Dufex stickers....

This month hasn't been so hot on one layer cards though, I managed 3.  Two of which I have to confess are the same design but in different colourways.  

Now as well as my rambles which of course you love....I dropped in to let you know about the new challenge at Sweet Stampin'.  We want to see your all or nothing cards, so one layer or lots of layers.  Unusually for me, I went with the lots of layers option:

This resulted from a very inky session I had making backgrounds & actually has 9 layers!

Some of my favourite challenges:

Brown Sugar #135 - Anythng Goes

Craft for the Craic - Birthday or Anniversary

Crafty Catz #268 - Use Dies/Punches

Papertake Weekly - Take Your Pick....Cool Colours

Sister Act #95 - Anything Goes

Have a great weekend.

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Total one layer cards to date: 9

One Layer Bells

Morning, who am I again?!  Well I knew the first half of February was going to be crazy with 2 major family birthdays to organise but wouldn't you know....as soon as they were over I came down with a bug.  Honestly, the day after the second Birthday I woke up feeling like I'd been beaten up & run over with a steamroller for good measure!  A week later, I am ready to feel better.  

This card made me smile, first I was seriously impressed that this cardstock went through my printer as it's supremely thick.  I suspect technically it would be classed as light board but what do I know?!  Well it makes perfect one layer cards, that's what I know.

The snowman is Bugaboo & I coloured him very lightly with Promarkers & it didn't bleed through the card...yeah!  He's been made for the One Layer Christmas Challenge whose twist this month is Bells.  This is a great challenge for me as more and more people are looking to cut postage costs on their Christmas cards.  Plus it fits in with my resolutions this year to master one layer cards.  Happy Girl!

Also playing along with the following challenges:

Allsorts - The Colour Purple (very pale, hope that's ok?)

Challenge Up Your Life - One Layer

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Extra Feb - Anything Goes

Holly Jolly Christmas - Non Traditional Colours (lilac & blue)

Ok folks, that's me done for today.  Hope you're having a great day & thanks for dropping by.

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Love and Loss!

As you know I'm making a concerted effort to stick with my resolutions and giving you progress reports each month.  Here's my January stash loss results.

Celebrating small victories this month, I managed to finish up the following:

1. A dress embellishment.  Admittedly it was the only thing in the packet but still...
2.  A sheet of Stampin' Up retired cardstock.  That last piece took some ingenuity but be hanged if I was putting it back in the box!

I made 6 one layer cards in January, including this one for today's LOVE challenge over at Sweet Stampin' where we are sponsored by the Ribbon Girl with a £10 voucher to the shop.  In keeping with using stash, see that border stamp peeking out three times from behind the circle?  Brought a set of them from Lakeland in the very early days (8/9 years maybe!) and that's the first time I've ever used it.  Shocking huh?!

I've used a sketch from Sketch Saturday #346, this week was pick a sketch of your choice, I went for #254 challenging myself to see if I could make it one layer.  What do you think?  Honest opinions welcome....

 

I'd also like to play along at the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps - CAS
Crafts4Eternity #211 - No Patterned Paper

Simply Create Too #78 - Valentines/Add a Heart

Sister Act #91 - Anything Goes

Now I'm of to make the most of a day to myself & create some more cards.  I hope you all have a lovely day too, we've had snow here this morning, the hugest flakes I've ever seen!  So pleased to be in the warm xx

One layer cards to date -6

One Layer Christmas Snowflakes

It's a good job posting on time wasn't one of my resolutions for this year, I would have failed three times already.  

I happened to notice on the fabulously talented Lori's blog that there's a new challenge blog for one-layer Christmas cards.  Challenge #1 was an olc with a twist of using red.

I missed the link up for challenge #1.  

Fortunately for me, challenge #2 has a twist of snowflakes.

Joining in with a couple of challenges:

Christmas Cards all year round - Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnuts - Up/Re-cycle or use something free (For me, it was the card stock base.  I was given a huge pack of it by a friend & because it's so thick I didn't know what to do with it.  Turns out it's perfect for one-layer card bases!)

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Extra - Anything Goes

One Layer Christmas - Anything Goes with a twist of Snowflakes

Sister Act - Anything Goes

Tracey, I'm throwing you down a public challenge because I know you need to make some one-layer Christmas cards.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.....mwah!

One-layer cards made to date: 4

2015 Crafty Resolutions

1. Use up my accumulated stash.  I have way too much stash and yes I have given lots away, to the Guides/Brownies/Rainbows, other children's groups & to friends children.  I still have way too much.
2. Only buy essential items without which I couldn't otherwise craft.  My plan is to only buy sticky stuff, blank cards/envelopes & colouring card when I need them.  Truly there is no need for anything else.
3. Learn to make one layer cards.  With so many people worrying about postage costs for dimensional cards, being able to make pretty one layer cards will be a big plus for me.   I will be inspired in this quest by Susan from Simplicity.  I've been a long term stalker of Susan's blog, her cards blow me away!  
4. Comment more on the blogs/posts that inspire me.  Difficult because life gets in the way but I know how much comments mean to me & I like to feel I'm sending a little bit of happy someone else's way.

I've already started work on #3.  I made the following card for the One-Layer Simplicity Challenge of opposites.  For me it was a very tough one to start the year with.   I struggled thinking of my own but loved the colour combo Ardyth used.  It made me smile.  So I too used the opposite colours of blue & orange along with big & small text.  

That's all the opposites I could muster up.  I am usually quite a harsh critic of my own work and can see a couple of things I wish I'd done differently.  Lighter masking for one.  However being realistic, for a first one layer card, it's not bad.  Hopefully I can learn & improve over the coming year so please do give any feedback or constructive criticism.

I plan to write a monthly update post on what I've managed to use up & any purchases.  I know there will be one or two of you keeping an eye on me!   

Top 12 of 2014

Well that title is a bit misleading!  The lovely Wendy is challenging us to display our top 12 creations of the year.....Considering I haven't blogged more than about 25 cards this year, I couldn't find 12 that I really felt were favourites.  So I've gone for 5.  If you're a better blogger than me, you can join in with 12, there's blog candy on offer too.

March - I love the softness of this gorgeous LOTV fairy, love the fact that I used that very dimensional word i've had for over 5 years (it came from Lakeland & we know how long it's been since they did craft stuff right?!) and I love the fact that my wee cherub coloured it in for me.  She enjoys colouring but prefers me to turn them in to cards.

July - A special request this one, using the Stampin' Up truck.  I love that it's got layers but it's still clean & neat

October - made this for a very wonderful friend's birthday using a Penny Black lady.  My friend has dabbled in making cards herself & truly appreciates them.  In fact she still has this on display 3 months later....

November - I almost couldn't give this one away!  Another LOTV, I just love it.  I was reasonably happy with my colouring, attempted a bit of texture on the fur which looked ok but I just love the whole feel of it, it makes me smile you know?

December - Another one I made for a friend & I am not totally sure of the stamp origin so please let me know if you know.  I love the softness, I felt it suited the image and again it's one where I was reasonably pleased with my colouring.  It also went to a friend who makes cards herself so I know it is another that is truly appreciated & cherished. ETA - Thanks Wendy for letting me know it's LOTV but an older one.

So there we have it, my top 12 5 cards of 2014.  I hope you've enjoyed seeing them.  I'm also linking up albeit late in the day to Debby's Favourite Five of 2014.

See ya soon xx