Two-fer Tuesday .........

Happy Tuesday ........

I do hope your week has got off to a great start.  

It's school half-term here this week so we've got Alex at home ........ life with a 13 year old, ohhhh I remember it well!!!

I've got a two-fer for you today ....... two cards, and two challenges. 

First up ....... Simply Less is More. 

It's the dreaded One Layer Card challenge (always fun to do), and the theme is Hello Sunshine

(I remember what that is I think!)

I started by stenciling the sunshine (Julie Hickey Designs) on the top corner of a piece of white cardstock, blending shades of yellow Distress Oxide ink from the centre of the sun outwards.

Next, I stamped the flip-flops (Newton's Nook) ...... stamped the right one first and made a mask to cover it, then stamped the left overlapping it just a little bit.

Coloured them using ZIG Clean Colour Brush Markers.

I finished off  the card with a heat embossed sentiment. That's the One Layer done!

Next up is the Color Hues Challenge

For this challenge the colour combination is ....... Yellow & Kraft

The yellow part was still out on my desk ....... the Distress Oxide inks, and the Kraft bit was easy, always happy to add in a little kraft card

I smooshed a little Distress ink onto a piece of white cardstock using a piece of acetate to create a background.

Next, I used the Etched Layered Daisy Stem die from Simon Says stamp, cutting the flower heads from white cardstock, and the stem from Kraft.

I used two shades of yellow Distress Oxide Ink (Scattered Straw and Squeezed Lemonade) direct from the ink pad to colour the daisy heads and layered them together.

I attached the stems onto the card, added the pretty layered daisy heads, and finished off with a few splatters of Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink (hope this can be classed as a shade of Kraft), and a tiny tag for my sentiment

Both challenges are open for another few days if you fancy playing along.

Thanks for popping by, enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ......

Grey and Red for the CAS Christmas challenge ........

Happy Wednesday ........

It's the middle of a very wet and windy week here on the Isle of Man ..... not very nice at all.  It's definitely weather for staying warm and cosy at home ...... time to get the winter woollies out I think!

There's still quite a festive feel going on in the craft room after World Cardmaking Day at the beginning of the month (which reminds me, I must share the rest of my cards with you!)

My favourite festive stamps are out, there's glitter everywhere, and oooh, there's some new Christmas stamps appeared in there too ....... I wonder how that happened!!  Now I just need to decide what to do with them.

There's already a few cards in the festive stash, thanks to the CAS Christmas Challenge, and I'm playing along with another one this month

It's a colour challenge for October ...... Gray and Red

As I said, I do have some new stamps to play with but, I have to use this little guy at least once every year ......

Stamped in grey Versafine Clair ink, and coloured with a red ZIG Marker, this really was so quick and easy ...... one layer too, so great for popping in the post!

The sentiment was stamped in red, and I added a few snowflakes for a litle extra detail

A touch of sparkle to finish with some fine crystal glitter, and we're all done! Told you it was quick and easy.

Speaking of the festive season, the local garden centre is launching it's Christmas Display this evening ..... yes it's that time of year again! 

We'll be popping in later to have a look.  Well, I have new space to decorate this year, I need some 

ideas.  And, there's always room for a pretty new bauble, or two, on the tree!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ........

Products used:

Stamps: Snowman - a really old (but well loved) Inkadinkadoo wooden stamp (97347-LL); Sentiment - Wonderful Christmas (Inkylicious); Snowflakes are from an old StampinUp! set

Inks: Versafine Clair - Morning Mist; Versafine - Crimson Red

Other: Red ZIG Clean Colour Brush Marker; Fine crystal glitter; Quickie Glue Pen

February's CAS Christmas Card Challenge ........

Happy Thursday ......

I hope you're enjoying your week.  Is it really seven days since I blogged ...... must do better!

  

I'm not quite sure where the last week went, I haven't really done that much, and I still haven't ventured out of the house, well, apart from a trip to see Chris.  He moved house last week and the new place is lovely.

I have spent quite a bit of time in my craft room, taking part in more online workshops.  I'm really enjoying doing stuff just for me!  No deadlines, no pressure, and if you watch them on replay, you can pause the video while you catch up ........ I'm learning loads too, which is fun!

I also made time to play along with February's CAS Christmas Card Challenge ......  yes, that's right more Christmas cards.  Well we did have a flurry of snow this week ..... nothing like what's been falling across the whole of the UK though ..... unfortunately!  Snow always puts me in the festive mood!

Anyway, here it is ....... 

You guessed it, the theme this month is ....... Dogs and/or Cats

I used an old wooden Penny Black stamp, and stamped the kitty directly onto my card base (one layer .... always good for posting!)

I coloured him using ZIG markers, and added a touch of sparkle with some fine crystal glitter onto his rather large Santa hat .......

And then finished off with a simple sentiment underneath .......

Very festive!

Well that's another one for the Christmas box ....... Ho! Ho! Ho!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

I'd better get started on the evening meal ...... someone's saying he's hungry!

Cheerio until next time ....... 

Products used:

Stamps: Jolly Xmas Kitty (Penny Black)

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne;

Others: ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers; Quickie Glue Pen; Fine crystal glitter

The Perfectly CAS challenge ......

Happy Tuesday evening .......

I hope your week's off to a good start.
Fancy a blog challenge?  It's time to get the Perfectly CAS ..... (using only one third) Challenge started.  It's the first one of 2020 and the theme is ...... One Layer

 
One Layer cards ....... sounds easy enough but, that's not always the case.  These can sometimes be the hardest cards to make, more so when only using one third of your card.  There's no room for mistakes, you can't cover anything up, because that would make it more than one layer!

I've gone for a really CAS look, using the middle third of my card ..... top to bottom

I stamped my image using a black ink, and then coloured it with ZIG Markers and a water brush.
(it only took me three attemps ........ inky fingermark on one (arrrggh!), too much water on my paintbrush so my coloured marker bled outside the line (sigh!), but I got there in the end!

A few gold ink splatters in the background, still trying to keep within that middle third .......

and a sentiment to finish ....

Check out more inspiration from the rest of Design Team over on the Perfectly CAS Blog.  You'll also find all the rules and guidelines on how to play along.

Happy Stamping! 

We've already had one birthday this week ..... my mother-in-law yesterday. I forgot to post her birthday card at the weekend ..... sorry Mum!  I did arrange flowers though, and there's gin on the way, so I think I'm forgiven. 
We have another birthday coming up on Friday ........ my baby girl is 28 this year!!!!  This card was made with Lauren in mind .... it's definitely all about her this week!

It's also this little Blog's anniversary today.  Yes, Life in the Craft Lane has been around for 8 years ..... that's a lot of blogging!

Thank you so much for reading, commenting and following my crafty journey.  Without you it wouldn't be as much fun ...... mwah xx

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time .....

Products used:
Stamps: Uptown Girl Opal the Optimist (Stamping Bella); Special Sentiments (Penny Black 'T' for Transparent set)
Inks:Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Delicata - Golden Glitz (splatters)
Others: ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers

Just the one layer ....... for the Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge

Happy Tuesday evening .......

I hope your week has got off to a good start.  It's a bit of a busy one here ..... Lauren's new job, hubby has a few things going on with work, school finishes on Friday for the Easter holidays, we're out Thursday evening,  and we have some friends coming over on Friday, so it's going to be a nice long weekend.  Welcome to April by the way!

New month ...... new Blog Challenges.  First up for me this month is the Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge

As you can see, the theme for April is ....... One Layer Cards ..... yeah!
You either love them, or you avoid them like the plague.  Clean and Simple is one thing, but doing it all in just one layer can prove to be a little tricky at times!  One layer ..... not very forgiving.  There's no room for error.  You can't stick that butterfly over the top of the smudge, or re-stamp the sentiment because you didn't get it straight the first time!

Come on now ..... take a deep breath and go for it!
I must confess I love one layer cards ..... the secret is, use a MISTI (or other well known stamping platforms)

This is a Penny Black image, stamped in black Versafine Clair ink and coloured using ZIG markers and a water brush.

I added a little touch of shimmer with a Clear Stardust Gel pen .......

and stamped the sentiment that also comes in the set directly underneath.

How true!  Size does matter where coffee is concerned

The challenge is open until the end of the month so you have lots of time to play along.
Happy stamping!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.
I'm just about to settle down and catch up on some TV.  It's been a busy day.

Cheerio until next time .....

Products used:
Stamps: Cup of Java (Penny Black)
Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne, 
Other: ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers, Waterbrush, Clear Stardust Gep Pen

Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge .....

Welcome back .......

This is becoming a habit isn't it .... twice in one day, again! I did say it was going to be a busy week.

OK  .... own up ..... who's pinched the sunshine?  Whoever it is please can we have it back .... it absolutely poured down this afternoon.  Come on ..... I've got garden furniture that needs sitting at!

Enough about the weather ..... it's time for another blog challenge ....... why not pop over to the Happy Little Stampers and join in the fun with the CAS (Clean and Simple) Challenge
(I bet it's not raining in Australia!)

What exactly is CAS?  Just in case you're not sure here's the HLS definition .......

Not only does your card have to be CAS for this challenge ....... the theme for this month is ....... One Layer.  Always a favourite ...... or not!!

Don't get me wrong ...... I love one layer cards, they're great for posting!  They can be a bit tricky to create though.  No room for error ....... you can't just cover up mistakes, or that 'how did that get there' ink splodge (technical term there!) with another layer, or that pretty butterfly!!

It only took me two attempts to get this one right though ........

I used the pretty HLS Dandelion Wishes and stamped the images directly onto a white 7x5 inch, landscape, cardblank using Black Versafine ink

I let this dry and then took a circle stencil, placed it over each of the dandelion heads and inked through with various colours of Distress Oxides.

If you haven't got a circle stencil in different sizes, use punches or dies and a piece of acetate, or even just copier paper, and make your own.

I added one of the sentiments from the same stamp set, and just a touch of fine glitter to the dandelions ...... all done!

There's a $20 Gift Certificate for the challenge winner and if they've used HLS stamps on their project then the prize money is DOUBLED!

Check out the HLS Blog for more CAS, One Layer ideas from the rest of the Design Team.

Happy stamping!

It's a busy week all round this week .... lots of changes going on.  Both the kids have got new pubs this week ..... well when I say new, Lauren is actually going back to The Prospect only this time she's the Manager.  and Chris, well he's going to be managing The British down on the Quay.  Not quite sure what that says about us as parents ..... when both children run public houses!!!!  It's great for our social life though!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time .....

One card ..... two challenges

Happy Wednesday ......

Middle of the week already.
Just a quick post today as I'm off out later ..... the sun is shining and I'm meeting up with the girls in Ramsey for lunch.

Before I go, I want to play along with the latest Less is More Challenge

It's One Layer Week .... whoo hoo!! and the challenge is to use a coloured card base.  Not something I do very often but I think this fits the bill perfectly ......

Definitely not white .... and only one layer.  It was hubby's birthday card.

The wine bottle image was stamped using Crimson Red versafine ink .... I think the stamp is an old Inkadinkadoo one 

And then the sentiment (from Penny Black's T for Transparent set ..... Birthday Love) stamped over the the top in black

I added the Happy Birthday to the bottom .... stamping in the red ink first, then in black over the top but slightly offset to give a shadow look

It's a bit different over at LIM this week with the challenge running for 2 weeks ..... so no excuse not to enter.   AND ...... they're also joining forces for this challenge with the AAA CAS Card Challenge .... so I'll be playing along there too!

I must dash, I'm still in my PJ's ..... can't go out for lunch like that now can I!

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time .....