One layer Wednesday ....

.... gosh, it's hard to make one layer cards.  Well, it is for me ;)  The Simplicity challenge this week was to make a one layer card with nature as the inspiration.  As usual, Susan, requested that embellishments be kept to a minimum.  I've amazed myself - I managed not one card, but three!!  For someone who finds no layers really difficult, I think that brilliant.  I'd be very interested to get some feedback on these cards.  I did find them extremely difficult and I don't think I could have managed at all without my stamp-a-ma-jig. 

All the cards are A6 in size and I've gone for plain white cards with no texture.  I bought some lovely botanical stamps some while ago, but haven't really used them much.  They are all very pretty and it was tough to decide which to use.  The one I decided on is like cow parsley and is very delicate.  The images aren't as clear as I'd like; I used Marvy Le Plume pens to colour and found that the ink is a bit too wet!!  I felt that a strong sentiment was needed to balance the images and found this one in my collection.  I thought that it would add some interest to make the words in script pop - so I used red.  I'm reasonably pleased with the result.

The next card is in landscape format.  I used the wonderful Stampendous Fantasy Tree - which I've used a lot in the past.  It's such a versatile image.  Here I've kept things really simple - and it was really hard not to add something to the tree - like flower soft.  I used Tim Holtz Distress ink in Tea Dye and added a very small greeting.  My husband likes this card the best of the three.

The last of the three is my favourite.  I cut a stencil on scrap card using the Spellbinders Labels 10 set - I think is was third one in.  I sponged the shape with Tim Holtz Distress Ink Tumbled Glass - which is just lovely.  Then I found my Stampendous Agapanthus stamp - one of my favourite summer flowers. It's such an elegant stamp.  I used my Marvy pens to colour this in dark green and turquoise blue and stamped over the panel.  I found a very clear and simple message - "thinking of you" - which means that the card could be used for any number of occasions.  As I said, I am most pleased with this one.

What do you think?  I'd love to get some feedback on these cards.  I found them much harder than my usual style and not an embellishment on any of them!

That's all for this evening.  Back again soon.

Today's the day ....

... and Kathryn is 9 years old.  The time has simply flown by.  Kathryn woke up this morning and said that she'd wait until her Daddy came home before opening her presents and cards.  But her face when she saw the little pile was a picture.  She immediately changed her mind and we spent a very happy half hour opening all the bits.  And now I can show you the card I made for her.  Kathryn was delighted and couldn't stop smiling.

This card was so far out of my comfort zone that I wasn't at all sure it was going to work.  But I think it does.  It's the first time I've tried using a brayer.  It wasn't entirely successful, but for a first attempt I'm quite pleased. 

Most of the stamps used came from Waltzing Mouse Stamps.  The solid circular stamp in the Teeny-trees set was perfect for the moon.  The stars and gothic arch window came from the Midnight Feast set and the owl from Halloween Party set.  Kathryn's name is also from Waltzing Mouse, but the Happy Birthday greeting is from a Dawn Bibby set.  The garden trellis was made from a Martha Stewart punch. 

Kathryn is a big Dr Who fan and desparately wants to be the Doctor's companion, so I really wanted to do something to celebrate this fact.  I decided to incorporate the Tardis and put a picture of Kathryn in to show that she's the new companion!! 

The whole picture was mounted on some brilliant blue holographic card - to show only a very thin border and then mounted onto a silver A5 card. 

And that's all for now, as I've got to get ready for Scouts - meeting starts in about an hour.  Will be back soon.  Thanks for reading.