31 July 2015

ShowCASe 233

Morning all it's time for another ShowCASE spectacular
courtesy of you amazing and super talented crafters!

Weather here in the UK has been mixed and mainly wet this week
so it's been a real pleasure for us to sit back and view all your 
gorgeous 'Life's A Beach' scenes, dreaming wishfully!

So without further ado here are our choices for this week in order of entry:


Ruza's crisp, clean and elegant stamping had us swooning and 
wishing we could source those Papertry Ink stamps easier in the UK.



Carole wows us every week with her awesome inking and talent.
This one has you wanting to dive right in it's so perfect and realistic.



Sylvia's dream-like inking and shading caught our eye. 
Crisp and elegant with the most adorable and classy beach parasol.


... and this week we couldn't stop at 3!


The most delightful vintage style against the ultra modern 
#sentiment, CAS perfect and a totally unique take on the challenge


Thanks so much for entering and please take the ShowCASe badge
 from the page at the top of the blog with our thanks! 
We hope you'll display it with pride on your blogs.


Thank you to each of you for entering each week, we love visiting your blogs 
to see your unique take on challenges and stunning us with your talent.
There's still time to enter our 'Snippets for Chrissie' challenge!
 ... gates close at 10pm BST tonight and we'll
be back tomorrow with details of our latest challenge


25 July 2015

Week 234 Recipe

Morning all, we've a Celebration challenge
for you this week as our super talented Leader and
Queen of CAS, Chrissie is celebrating a very
special birthday this weekend! She'll be 70 years young!

It's Recipe week and we'd like you to use Snippets
on your card yet still maintaining the CAS look!

So it's snippets for Chrissie and we also have a
Guest Designer for one week only! 
Who better than the Snippet Queen herself ... 


If you've never visited Di's blog you are missing a treat and here's a
few little snippets about this lovely lady too ...

Having crafted as a child it was about 20 years ago that the card making bug bit me - HARD!
What started out as a hobby with a plastic box of supplies progressed to my own craft room -
 absolute bliss! I started blogging in 2010, love entering challenges, and am on the 
DT of Cuttlebug Mania. Much of my crafty time is spent running what's known as 
'Pixie's Snippets Playground' which is an 'anything goes' challenge, 
with the proviso that you use at least one scrap or snippet on your entry.

Less is More is a favourite challenge and I feel disappointed if I don't manage to join in each week.
 So you can imagine how delighted (aka tickled pink) I was to be asked 
to be guest designer for Chrissie's Birthday celebrations - where the theme is 'snippets'. 
Thank you so much for asking me! Here's my 'Snippet's Card'



Somehow the DT are having to follow Di's awesome card!
For more details on how Di created this beauty please head over to her blog HERE


And this is what the rest of the DT have been up to and there's more on
our personal blogs if you want to check them out. Chrissie is taking a well earned
birthday rest this week - to be honest she's been partying like crazy,
trying to keep up with the youngsters and feeling the effects now.
You may find her in a dark room, behind dark glasses, sipping lots of dark coffee!!!
or maybe even something stronger!


Anne

Tim Holtz Crazy Bird with some feathery snippets.  
They were stamped with a Craft Stamper freebie stamp onto a scrap of card 
that I had used Brushos on. The bird is grounded with Stamp Addicts dotty stamps 
(or is that corn he's eating?) and I rescued a few sequins from the craft mat. 
Woodware sentiment.

I would like to wish my good friend Chrissie a wonderful happy birthday 
- shake those tail feathers!


Card Recipe:
Having raided the snippets box and tipped the bin upside down
for bits of kraft and red holographic card here's what else I've used!
MFT Die-namics: Inside Out Diagonal Stitched rectangles
Avery Elle: Count on it Dies
Clearly Besotted: For Everyone sentiment
Handmade & fuzzy cut paint palate with Doodlebug sprinkles
Die-cut paintbrush has been in my stash forever.


Anita

I matted and layered a white cardstock panel onto some bright pink to create a frame. 
 I also stamped a banner in pink on a snippet of white cardstock and die cut this 
using it's co-ordinating die from Clearly Besotted.  
The 'flower' actually started its life as a butterfly die!  I saw this die by Britannia Dies
 at a craft show last month and loved how intricate it was.  I've die cut the butterfly four times
 from snippets of silver mirri card I've had in my stash for as long as I can remember.  
The lower wings were snipped off and then arranged and adhered together to create the 
flower petals and the banner popped up on 3D foam.  
I've included a photo of the original butterfly die cut over on my blog post.


Hopefully we've inspired you to search your snippets and
we can't wait to see what ingenious designs you come up with this week.
Thanks as always for playing along and please try to visit a few of
your fellow Limettes to leave some friendly feedback.

***





24 July 2015

ShowCASe Week 232

Once again Limettes you have exceeded all expectations! 
Awesome talent and ideas for the one layer, masculine challenge! 
We thought we'd 'got' you with this cruel theme but apparently not!
You've made our ShowCASe choices for last week even more difficult!

But we love it and are delighted that you take part each week. 
Our ShowCASe choices in order of entry are




These cute bird stamp set has certainly been brought to life
with Cornelia's awesome colouring and fun party sentiment.




How 'totally cool' are those surf boards,
vibrant colours combined with a bold and striking design.



Post image for “Less Is More” Challenge #232

DJ's classy and elegant hats in monochrome
with the fun red sentiment work so perfectly together.


Thanks so much for entering and please take the ShowCASe badge
 from the page at the top of the blog with our thanks! 
We hope you'll display it with pride on your blogs.

There's still time to enter our 'Life's a Beach' themed challenge
if you're quick! ... gates close at 10pm BST tonight and we'll
be back tomorrow with details of our latest challenge plus we have
a very special guest designer joining us ... not to be missed!


 


18 July 2015

Week 233 - Theme

This week we have a theme which we hope will inspire you to thoughts of summer days and holiday time!
Life's a beach!
Remember to keep it simple, with lots of white space and minimal embellishments!
Here are our examples to give you a few ideas.
Anita

I squished Mermaid Lagoon and Antique Linen Distress Inks onto my acrylic block, spritzed with water and then stamped this onto some watercolour card.  Once dry I removed any static and then stamped the starfish, free set with a publication by Clear Impressions, and sentiment, Clearly Besotted's Twinkle Toes, in VersaMark Ink before heat embossing with gold powder by Wow!  I cut the card down to make a vertical panel and wiped my VersaMark pad along the edges before heat embossing once again with gold powder.  The panel was then simply adhered to the card base.
Anne

Pink Petticoat digi coloured with Copics and mounted on an embossed panel and twine added.
I had been struggling to partially colour these die-cut beach huts from Joanna Sheen with any accuracy, when I hit upon the idea of stamping the card with a wooden plank stamp before cutting it with the dies. I simply emphasised the roof and the door with the same ink to complete it! Weathered Wood DI.
The sentiment, which reads "There's nothing quite like a little vitamin sea" was computer generated in !Paul Maul font.

Sarah

Card Recipe:
Lawn Fawn: Life is Good - sentiment and crabs, these are
coloured using Stabilo pens then covered with glossy accents 
The 'sea' is coloured with distress inks onto watercolour card
then simply torn to make the 'froth' look at the edge of the water.

Over the summer months various members of the DT will be off on their holidays and although they may have provided a card for you, we hope you'll understand why you may not receive a visit from some of them during this time!
Do join us for this one and please try to visit a few of your fellow participants to share a friendly word!
***


17 July 2015

ShowCASe Week 231

What an amazing gallery of Red White and Blue cards were on show last week, such wonderful vibrant designs from a not always easy colour combination!
We have great delight in showing our ShowCASe choices for this challenge

This one really pops and was a favourite with our DT!

This is just one of the fabulous designs submitted by Sarah this week, her work is always inspirational!

IMG_2376
What a wonderful marbled effect...decidedly worth the mess made in its production, but what fun!

Please take the ShowCASe badge  from the page at the top of the blog with our thanks!
We were delighted with the submissions for this challenge and want to thank you all for such amazing work!

There's just a little time left to enter our one layer challenge and a new one starts tomorrow so do join us then!

11 July 2015

Week 232 - One Layer

Morning Limettes, time for a new challenge
and it's ONE LAYER card week and we have chosen

MASCULINE
as the theme for your designs.

This is a tricky one on two counts, the one layer and the chaps...
so good luck folks, we're sure you'll come up with some cracking designs.

Here's our cards and there'll be some extra ones on our individual blogs
too so we'd love you to pay us a visit.

Sarah


Card Recipe:
Lots of 'white space' going on here! Using ...
Clearly Besotted: Laugh Out Load images and sentiments
Coloured with Zig Clear Clean Brush Pens


Anita


I masked a horizontal panel and blended Distress Inks in Pumice Stone, Walnut Stain and 
Faded Jeans.  I then used the ghosting technique by laying a stencil over the panel, 
Splatters by Tim Holtz, spritzed with water and removed the stencil then blotted with
 kitchen paper to remove the colour.  The sentiment from Clearly Besotted's 
Sentimental Type stamp set was stamped in Versafine Smokey Gray.




Acid Drops & What-Nots stamp from the 'sexy beast' set, 
what a brilliant sentiment!  Coloured with Copics and
 a doodled border added.



I stamped and white embossed this image, then masked and stamped the Hero Arts 
script over the top. I coloured it with watercolour pencils and a water brush. 
When dry I added some glossy accents and some micro beads for the foam, 
then glossy accents over the rest of the tankard.
It's not a smudge beneath the the tankard, but my attempt at shadow 
... as it looked a little ungrounded.


As always please keep your design Clean and Simple;
there were a few last week with multiple layers and embellishments.

We love to see that 'white space' and if you can visit your 
fellow participants with some friendly feedback too that would be
most appreciated - don't we all just love a comment or two!

Have some fun crafty time this weekend!

***



10 July 2015

ShowCASe Week 230

It seems you all enjoyed our sketch challenge last week 
and came up with some incredible takes with it!

Seriously! You need to give yourselves a HUGE slap on the back 
for your superb talent and ingenious ideas! You certainly don't 
give us an easy time selecting our ShowCASe.

Thanks to everyone who participated - You are all winners!
So in order of entry here are our choices for Sketch week




Birgit's take on the is sketch is simply awesome; not only down to 
her 'trademark' inking but the quirky little divide of the sketch 
then the cutest mini charm to complete the nautical scene! 




Once again Hannelie's CAS card stood out in the gallery
with her classy and elegant twist on the sketch by transforming it 
into a stained glass window similar to the door to her house!




Elaine's colourful and striking floral image raised and set 
against the identical images in monochrome looks fabulous;
she's certainly showcased the gorgeous Stamplorations set perfectly.


We would love you to display your 'showCASe' badge
with pride on your blogs and you can find it on the LIM Badges page.
Well done everyone and thanks for playing along.

There's still time to join in our red, white and blue 'colour' challenge 
which closes at 10pm BST today and we'll be back with our 
new challenge details tomorrow morning. 


08 July 2015

June Winner

Hello there! As the title suggests it's time for us to 
announce our winner for the month of June and our sponsor was



 So our lucky winner for the month is

Carole Dion

Carole enters the Less is More challenges week after week
and produces the most outstanding creations. Her trademark
inky blending is second to none and our challenges never appear to 
faze this super talented lady.

Not only that but Carole is constantly encouraging her fellow
Limettes leaving great comments along the way.

We love your work and are thrilled that you regularly participate 
at Less is More Carole - the prize is truly deserved and 
we hope you enjoy it.

Please contact us by email for details of how to 
receive your prize.
LIM2011@gmx.com

There is a winner's badge waiting for you at the top of our blog, 
which we'd like you to display on your blog with our thanks!

Congratulations!


Don't forget there's still time to enter our current challenge
Colours - Red, White and Blue


04 July 2015

Week 231 - Colour

Not only have we a new challenge for you today
but it's the start of a new month and we are delighted to
have Ribbon Girl sponsoring our challenge once again


Do please visit the Ribbon Girl online store, we're sure you'll be amazed
at the array of crafty goodies available! What's more they are kindly offering
a £10 gift voucher for our July Winner!


So onto our challenge and being the first week of the month
it's the return of the COLOUR challenge at Less is More and
in honour of our friends across the pond, it could be none other than

RED, WHITE & BLUE
Please keep to these colours; any additional shades should be kept to neutral or metallics.
This is what we've come up with for your inspiration!


This is compilation of die cuts. The cruise ship is from Quickcutz, the 'welcome' 
from Paper Smooches, the Home from Tattered Lace and the squares from 
Spellbinders and MFT. The sea is a print from some Aqua Tint inks.


Sarah



This one is inspired by the wonderful Laura Bassen HERE
I love how she uses bright colours and inks up shapes to create
a striking geometric design. 

Card Recipe:
Ranger: Dye Inks
Various circle dies from my stash
Hero Arts: Stamp & Cut Happy set for sentiments and the mini circles


Anita



I die cut two pierced squares, one in white and one in blue using an 
MFT Die-namics Pierced Square Die.  From the white square 
I then die cut the house detail using Clearly Besotted's On The Line die.  
The sentiment stamped in blue is from Clearly Besotted's So Tweet stamp set.  
The die cuts were then adhered together before adding a small red 
die cut heart, covered in Glossy Accents (close up photo on my blog)

Anne



 The Silhouette cut file that I started with is edited - 
the hearts were coming out of an old fashioned gramophone.  
I stamped the Clarity Stamps girl, Alice, in its place and gave her a paper pieced dress.  
The sentiment is Paper Smooches.


We hope you enjoy working with these colours and we look forward to seeing
what you create. Please remember to keep your projects clean and simple with 
some yummy white space - maybe even red or blue space!

... and as everyone loves a comment or two we do like to encourage you
to visit some of your fellow entrants and leave some kind feedback.

Happy Crafting!

***

03 July 2015

ShowCASe Week 229

Morning all, it's time to reveal our ShowCASe stars 
following the Stencilling Challenge so in order of entry here goes -
we couldn't stick at 3 this week so we've thrown an extra one in too!




Incredible stencilling, fabulous splashes of colour
with a bold and stylish sentiment!




Fantastic ombre inking with the most stunning bird on a wire stencil,
further enhanced with embossed shine!




A beautiful scene with wonderful depth created with inking
and gentle shadow to the trees, the stunning blues pull it all together!




Awesome stencilling, inking, bleaching and white lines creates 
some fabulous dimension to this work of art!


Well done ladies and please take the ShowCASe badge from the page at the top 
which we'd love you to display proudly on your blogs.

Thanks to everyone who participated, we'll be back tomorrow with our new challenge 
and there's still time to enter this week's sketch challenge if you haven't already.