Playtime ....

.... for me!!  I've been playing in my craft room all afternoon - and it's been great fun.  First thing on Saturday mornings I check two of my favourite challenges - Less is More and Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - to see what they have in store for us this week.  I've got the WMSC sketch in my notebook and I'm going to have a think about that one. 

The Less is More  challenge is a colour theme - and this week Chrissie and Mandi have come up with a doozy!!  They want us to use the "Colours of YOUR Nation's Flag" - and as there are people taking part from all over the world this should give quite a colourful selection of cards - well maybe!  There are lots of flags around the world with Red, White and Blue - just like Great Britain!!

I've made two cards - so far - that use the colours of my nation's flags.  The first card is based on the flag of Great Britain - the Union Flag - the good old red, white and blue.


I've gone for a really clean and simple design - so simple, in fact, that I  don't have any sentiment on the card as yet.  I can't make up my mind what I'd like to use it for - perhaps a birthday, perhaps an anniversary or simply a celebration card.


England is famous for its roses and as I'm half English - I thought I'd make a rose the central image.  I stamped the image onto some watercolour paper - the outline was heat embossed with clear powder to make sure that it didn't run.  Then I sprayed on some water and added dabs of ink into the water and allowed the ink to spread.  The result is this really pretty variegated red rose.  I found some lovely textured mirri card and used my nesties to cut out an ornate backing square.  I'll add a sentiment later!

Stamp:  Stampin' Up! - Fifth Avenue Florals
Ink:  Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Spellbinders:  Fleur de lis Squares (S4-318) #3
Accessories:  Card, mirri card and embossing powder from my stash



Now, you might have noticed the comment above that I'm half English - well the other half is Welsh and, as I'm living in Wales, I thought I'd make a card based on the colours of the Welsh Flag too.




I think the Welsh flag is fabulous - I love dragons!!!  One of my favourite series of books is about dragons and their riders - the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey.  Anyway, I remembered that I have a sweet dragon stamp in my collection - just perfect for a card from Wales!!  I stamped the image and coloured it with Promarkers and added some glitter to the spots!!  You can't see it very clearly, but I've glittered the snooze clouds too!  Finally, I added a simple sentiment - in welsh - that says Happy Birthday!

Stamps:  Funstamps - Sleeping Dragon; Local stamp - welsh sentiment
Inks:  Memento - Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Promarkers: Grass, Lush Green, Emerald
Accessories:  Card, glitter from stash

That's all for now - there are already 36 entries on the Less is More site - I'll try to get around later to have a look, but it's now time for tea.  See you later!!