Exciting news at Addicted to Stamps and More!

For those eagle-eyed bloggers out there you may have noticed we have changed the name of our blog slightly to ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE! which was in response to another German blog with a similar name.  Nothing else has changed except the name of the blog. Now read on for even more...........

We are very excited here today. We have some wonderful news to share with you and can't wait any longer!!

As you know we have had a DT call going for the last week or so. We had some wonderful applicants and we are very excited to introduce you to our newest recruits at 

Addicted to Stamps and More!

Please welcome to the team

CAZRO

LOLL

SUE

NONNI

SHANA

FLORENCE

DANIELLE

We can't wait for everyone to get started!! What a wonderful team and I do hope you visit all our new members to wish them well.

Don't forget we have our latest challenge going on RIGHT NOW. The theme this week is SPRING.

Addicted to Stamps - Theme Challenge #3 -SPRING

Happy Wednesday to everyone and welcome to our new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More which is:

S P R I N G

Now, you have to understand that although all of us in this hemisphere acknowledge we are now very firmly in AUTUMN............ to all those Antipodeans it is now SPRING...... topsy turvey or what!!!  lol  Anyway lets play nicely and do what the esteemed Kylie asks!!!

My card is hopefully Spring-like enough for this challenge.  I've taken a cream square card base and added a piece of cardstock in a deep yellow on top which was first embossed using a Cheery Lynn XL embossing plate called Foliage.  I then rounded the corners and die cut a lighter piece of card with my Memory Box Spring Border die.  I've used my Spellbinders Blossom dies for the main focal element of the card - again in a lighter piece of yellow card and smaller white card.  This was topped off with another circle of the yellow.  I've added roses and hatpins from my stash; the leaves have been punched using Nellie Snellen duo cutting and embossing punches.  The ribbon is from my stash but actually bought from Lidl's a while ago - it's lovely and has pearls and wooden butterflies on it and, luckily, matched the colour of the card.  The sentiment is from Stampin Up's set called Apothecary Art stamped in Mustard Seed DI.

Please pop over to the Addicted to Stamps blog and have a look at the lovely samples the DT have made for your delectation.   We look forward to seeing all your marvellous entries.

Less is More - Week 86 - Recipe

Hi again - just a quick post today with another card made for the current Less is More challenge of

 Take 3 Challenges

For this card I've used an 8" square scalloped base and Penny Black "In the Air" stamp set.  I stamped the main image in Barn Door DI and clear embossed it.  I then die cut it using my heart nesties  after first making sure the extra balloons were outside the cut area.  This was mounted on a red scalloped base.  I masked off the balloons and sponged some DI for the sky.  Popped up with silicone gel on a red and white mat with some gingham (yehaa) ribbon.  The white mat was scored diagonally using my SU Simply Scored board.  The sentiment was stamped, clear embossed and cut using my SU Modern Label punch.  It was shaped slightly and popped onto the card using silicone gel and a couple of gems added.

Thanks for visiting today - it's been lovely to see you.

PS  In my haste to post I totally forgot to tell you which  challenges this belongs to!!!!  Week 28 - Use ink, Week 29 - Things that move and Week 36 - Hearts

Less is More - Week 86 - Recipe

Well, what a change in the weather.........gorgeously sunny day yesterday and nothing but rain today!  Still, I suppose it could be worse........hmmm

This week over at Less is More the lovely ladies have more or less given us carte blanche:

Take 3 Challenges
If you look back at the list of our past challenges on the page at the top of our blog, you can choose any three to combine in your project... if you fancy the theme of a One Layer Week... you don't necessarily have to make a one layer card for this particular challenge.

In fact I think that when you're faced with 83 very different challenges to choose from how can you pick 3?  Well, after much deliberation, going off and doing something else, checking blogs etc etc I finally settled down and decided to opt for three challenges in a row - Week 14 - White on White, Week 15 - Embossing and Week 16 - Butterfly/Butterflies.  It's all pretty self explanatory and the recipe was:

Marianne Designables Cut & Emboss Folder

Couture Creations - Tied Together

Stampin Up Embosslits - Beautiful Wings

Cuttlebug Cut & Emboss Alphabet

 Thanks for taking the time and dropping by on this soggy afternoon.

 

Get Creative Sketch Challenge

Happy Saturday to all.  I thought I'd join in the Get Creative challenge this week which is:

As soon as I saw the sketch I knew exactly what I was going to do - isn't it weird how that happens sometimes?  Mind you I have been putting off the renowned LIM challenge as there is just TOO MUCH CHOICE!!!  lol  Anyway for my card I have used the Whimsy Stamp set Film Strip Sentiments and the matching film strip die.  I've used a blank DL card, top fold, and a piece of red card which I've put though my Joy in a Cuttlebug Wicker Weave embossing folder (had to match up and put through again as the size of card was bigger than the e/f).  I then cut a strip of white card and did the same.  These were adhered to the base card after inking round with a gold pen and attaching some ribbon.  I've gold embossed the centre sentiment onto red card and clear embossed the two film strips on each side stamping in Versamark Black ink.  I then stamped the heart and star onto these strips using Barn Door DI and clear embossing.  I then die cut the three elements.  These were then popped up on d/s foam and I've added four gems to the centre panel. 

Thanks for stopping by - hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

Addicted to Stamps - Monthly Scrapbook challenge

Hi Everyone

Welcome to our latest monthly scrapbook challenge over at Addicted to Stamps.  This month's challenge is entitled "Autumn".

For my scrapbook page I have used Serif CraftArtist and a mixture of digikits.  The main photo was taken by me at Stourhead in Wiltshire, a National Trust property whose gardens are a delight in any season - there is always something different to look at.  If you're ever in the area I think it's a must to go and wander round (there's a great pub in the grounds as added incentive!!! lol).

Please pop over to Addicted to Stamps to look at the scrapbook pages put together by other members of the Design Team.  We look forward to seeing your entries and popping over to visit you.

Happy crafting.

Less is More - Week 85 - Theme

Hi Guys - I know this is two posts in one day which is really unusual for me!!!  lol  but I've just managed to get my entry done for the Less is More challenge this week which is:

For our theme this week we have a really easy project for you... simply incorporate an

OVAL

into your design somewhere... what could be easier?

So there we have it - OVALS...... what could be more simpler than that eh?  Well, like all simple things they ain't always easy!  In the end I've used my Spellbinders Beaded Ovals and Fancy Tags dies.  After die cutting them I sponged Brushed Corduroy DI on the tag and stamped the sentiment with the same ink - sentiment is from Whimsy Stamps.  A little ribbon bow on each side and some Liquid Pearls finished the card.  A 5 minute job????  Heck no........ lol

Thanks for popping over to visit me and I look forward to repaying the compliment.

A quick addendum.......thanks to my blogging buddy Darnell (or Dippy as I call her!!!  lol) for suggesting I enter this into the CASology challenge this week which is WHITE.  Do pop over as there are some gorgeous creations for your delectation.

Addicted to Stamps - Bingo Addict Challenge #3

Welcome to our next Bingo Challenge over at Addicted to Stamps.  This is the bingo card you can choose from (3 squares either vertically, horizontally or diagonally):

For my card I've chosen Birthday, Square and Purple.  I've started off with a white 8" square scalloped Anna-Marie card base.  I've used my Marianne LR0242 set of dies which I think are so delicate.......can you imagine trying to cut these layers out by hand?????  lol  No, I thought not!  The base is die cut in white, the next layer in purple bazzill and the topper in white, stamped sentiment in DI brushed corduroy and clear embossed.  Sentiment is part of SU Whimsical Words set.  The butterfly is a Joy die and cut out of the same purple bazzill cardstock.  Finishing touches are some pretty pearls.

Please pop over to the ATS blog and have a look at all the wonderful inspirational pieces the DT have made.  I'm really looking forward to seeing all your creations and visiting your blogs.

Happy crafting.

St Luke's Challenge - Couples

Hello Everyone - well, it's the end of the week and I have actually had time to join in the fun over at St Luke's Challenge Blog where the challenge is COUPLES.

I decided to use this gorgeous digistamp from Mo Manning called "Kisses for my Sweet" which is just lovely - can't you imagine them twirling around in an impromptu dance????  lol  I printed the image out and die cut it using nesties.  It's been coloured with Flexmarkers.  I've embossed the border strip and mat using my Couture Creations Tied Together.  The sentiment is from A.A.Milne and I think it's wonderful; it's been mounted on my Spellbinders fancy tags.  The photo corners are an EK Success punch and I've added flowers from my stash, made some rose petals using Nellie Snellen punch & emboss duo and added ribbon and pearls.  The bp is from my stash.



Thanks for dropping by - hope you all have a wonderful weekend whatever you're doing.  I appreciate all your comments and look forward to coming to visit your blogs.

Less is More - Week 84 - One Layer

Hi Guys - the challenge over at Less is More this week is:

One Layer Card

Challenge Week

For the focus of your contributions this week we would like to see 

FOLIAGE

but PLEASE don't forget to leave that all important white space...


Things have been pretty hectic over the last few days and I've been busy getting samples ready for our club night tonight - if I get a chance I will post a photo of some of them tomorrow.

I started out with an A5 pearlised white card base and scored lines to give my "stamping area".  I then cut a mask so I wouldn't go over the lines..........so easy to do!!!  I've used a clear stamp set which doesn't have a name on it but it is just different leaves and fern fronds.  I stamped randomly in Versamark ink and clear embossed it.  I have then sponged various colours of Distress Inks over the whole area.  When I'd got it to the colour I wanted I then used a piece of kitchen towel to buff up the clear embossed areas.  The finishing touches were a sentiment (Hobby Art) and three green pearls.

Thanks for dropping by.

Addicted to Stamps - Make Your Mark Challenge #3

Welcome to our new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps.  This week's challenge is Make your Mark which gives you a free rein as long as you use your markers - Copics, Promarkers etc - to colour in your main image.

For my card I have used a digi stamp - Melissa by Sugar Nellie.  I just love these images.  She's been coloured with Flexmarkers and die cut using nesties.  I've used my Creative Expressions Floral embossing folder to partially emboss the backing which is Bazzill card.  The main card has been made up into an A5 using Anna-Marie's brushed satin card which is gorgeous.  I have made the roses using the floral e/f and the leaves are punched using Nellie Snellen two stage punch and embosser.  A dotty ribbon and some pearls finish the card off.

Please pop on over to the Addicted to Stamps challenge blog to have a look at the lovely cards made by the super talented members of the Design Team.  We look forward to seeing your entries and coming by to visit you.

Happy crafting.

Less is More - Week 82 - Colour Brown & Pink

Hi Guys - well this week's challenge over at Less is More is:

Being the first of the month it's colour week and we have chosen two for you....

Brown & Pink

Now, I made this card a couple of days ago and I have taken so many photos of it - tried to fiddle with them - that I am pretty sick of the sight of it.  For some reason, and I don't know whether it is because it's a pearlised card or what, the colours were awful.  Anyway making the best of a really bad job here is my offering!!!

I started off by embossing a nestie on the front of my card and then I stamped the main focal image from Stampin Up Mixed Bunch using Versamark ink.  I've then sponged over with pan pastels in pink.  The edging around the centre is a clear border stamp that I attempted to shape on the acrylic block so I could stamp a half circle at a time.  I've then gone over this with brown pan pastels.  The sentiment is from SU Heard from the Heart and stamped using Versafine Sepia ink.  I've then used Liquid Pearls to add the finishing touch.  Definitely not pleased with the finished result but it's taken me more time to try and photograph it than it did to make (shows eh????) and as I'm in the middle of a melt down because my printer is playing up and I'm in the middle of two commissions...............everything's hunky dory!!!!  lol

Hopefully back with a better example for the next LIM challenge.  Probably won't be back til next week as we have a busy weekend and we're cooking for a mass of people on Sunday - so fingers crossed for the weather.


Happy crafting.

Addicted to Stamps - Sketch Challenge #2

Hello Everyone

Welcome to our new challenge at Addicted to Stamps.  This week it's a sketch challenge:

For my DT card I've started off with a 6" square blank textured card.  The backing paper is from my stash and I think it is an old sheet from Graphicus (now Chocolate Baroque).  The main image is a digi stamp from Sugar Nellie called Victoria - absolutely love their digital images - and she's been coloured in using Flexmarkers.  I've added liquid pearls for the buttons/studs and some Glossy Accents to her eyes and the centres of the flowers.  She's been die cut and mounted using nesties and I veered away from using the circles as per the sketch as I thought this shape suited her better.  The sentiment is from SU Whimsical Words.  I've added a strip of pearlised card with a strip of darker card embossed with Creative Expressions Floral e/f which I've also used to make the

Close up of Victoria

flower.  The leaves are part of the SU bird on a branch punch.  I used a hand punch for the card candy in each corner and used an embossing tool and the palm of my hand to round them.  A touch of Stickles finished the card.

Please do pop over to the Addicted to Stamps blog to check out the great inspiration from the rest of the DT.  We look forward to seeing your creations and visiting your blogs.