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Monday 7 March 2011

Simply Less is More when using Creative Inspirations and Polka Doodles for a Papertake Weekly Waltzing Mouse!

And now for something completely different...   I KNOW that there are some recipients of my cards who don't always appreciate the time and effort that goes into my creations - this is particularly true of my coloured images.  I am not a fast crafter and I am certainly not a fast colourist.   It can easily take me an hour to decide what to make, an hour to work out the elements I want to use and two to three hours to put it all together - that's a fast card for me.  My  past attempts at CAS cards have resulted either in something that looks as though no effort was made at all or something where the effort is visible but the results are pants!  I so admire some of my blogging buddies - Alex, Jules, Julie, Kerry and Sarita to name but a few who seem to be able to produce classic beautiful elegant creations which err on the clean and simple and wow me to bits and if I don't practice then I figure I shall never be any good at them.
This week Polka Doodles want to see "Flower Power" and Creative Inspirations have the theme "In the Garden" (which I also take to mean flowers).  Papertake Weekly have an "Anything Goes" theme with the option of using something old.  My sentiment is by Stampin Up, is relatively old and has never seen ink before.   Waltzing Mouse have a great "Sketch" and I am entering my first card in the challenge at Less is More who want to see "Pastels".
I used pearlescent card for the base of this Happy Anniversary card and hand embossed an inner square on my Score Pal.  More pearlescent card has been run through an embossing folder with love hearts on it and mounted on some DCWV pastel card stock.  It looks even more pale in the photo, its actually peach like the flower and ink.  My flower is made with pearlescent paper cut with a Nestie's Blossoms die, inked, sprayed and scrunched and the leaves are from an MS punch.  It still took me three hours to make which is ridiculous but I reckon I could do it again in an hour and I really like it.
Postscript, I replaced the photo with one where the middle mount at least looks a bit peachy in the bottom left hand corner.

62 comments:

Mandi said...

Hi Lesley and welcome to our challenge
Your card is a pure delight!
Just stunning
Love everything about it
Do hope you come back again and again
mandi
"Less is More"

Anonymous said...

What a really stunning design Lesley!! I love your gorgeous background and flower!! So soft and pretty!! BIG HUGS

Michelle said...

what a truly cas card I love the embossing folder and your flower is perfect.

Hugs

Juanita said...

What a beautiful card. The embossed main panel is so fun and fresh.

lalkygirl said...

STUNNING card lesley i too have a problem making the CAS type card ,you have mastered it beaqutifully here .i love it
happy crafting
tracey x

Lynn Mercurio said...

This is gorgeous...elegant and just the right about of color to draw you in. Awesome job with the Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge! Thanks for playing along.

Kathyk said...

That is a pretty long time but your flower is sooooooooooo worth it - smashing card

Kathyk

Vicky said...

WOWWWWWWWWW......truly stunning shug I sooooo love the flower its beautiful. I need practice at this whole CAS theme I really struggle with them, I miss my flowers & gems & stuff a girl needs her bling & things lol. You really have cracked this hunni....gorgeous

Lotsa hugs Vicky xxx

Susan said...

Lesley, I adore your card! It might have taken you a while...but my oh my did it turn out fabulous!

Susan said...

Lesley, I adore your card! It might have taken you a while...but my oh my did it turn out fabulous!

Chrissie said...

Hi Lesley and welcome to "Less is More".
This is truly beautiful!
Simple, elegant and classic. Lovely gentle colours and a beautiful flower.
We are delighted that you have joined us and hope to see you again next time!
Chrissie
"Less is More"

Hanna said...

Oh Gosh, Lesley, this is just... well, I have no words. Amazing wouldn't be enough. It's jaw-dropping, AWESOME, FABULOUS, FANTASTIC, GORGEOUS, STUNNING... did I say awesome?
It's so unbelievably beautiful. Love it so much, your design is wonderful. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!
What more can I say!?

have a nice week sweetie,
hugs,

Hanna

Jane said...

Fantastic card, amazing flower infact it is all adds up to a stunning card

Frieda said...

Hallo Lesley !

Diese Karte ist ein absoluter Traum !

WUNDERSCHÖN !!

liebe Grüße
aus Österreich
Frieda

lindyloo said...

oooo I love your flower x

Jan said...

This is one of the best cards I have ever seen, I love it xx Jan

Audrey said...

What a gorgeous CAS card. Thanks for joining us at Polka Doodles.

Fiona said...

wow this is stunning Lesley...I absolutley love it!!

Fi
x

Sylvie said...

Hi Lesley, Your card is so pretty! I'd love to get a card like that.
Congratulations!.. I want to share a blog award with you.. it's waiting on my blog for you to collect.. Big Hug.. Sylvie x

Stamps and Paper said...

A gorgeous card Lesley.


Anne

TAM said...

Wow this is a fabulous card - that embossing folder is wonderful - must look out for it

Pauline said...

Gorgeous card, simply stunning!

Bea said...

what a lovely card and flower - well done

Joey said...

Lesley this is gorgeous I love that embossing folder works perfectly with the pearl card
Joey x

Anneke said...

very beautiful and classical card.
love the embossing

Gibmiss said...

hi lesley
This is a stunning card....love it ....gorgeous ...
hugs sylvie
xx

Julie said...

Oh Lesley - this is one fabbie card!! So elegant - you've pulled off CAS to perfection!! Juliex

Linby said...

Oh wow-this is a gorgeous card, love that embossing.
Linbyx

Turtle In The Sand said...

Utterly gorgeous! Soft, elegant - stunning.

Canonbury creations said...

Absolutely beautiful card!The flower is gorgeous and I love the way the sentiment is displayed
Val x

Mina said...

gorgeous Lesley, your cas card is so beautifully designed and wow to that flower girl
Mina xxx

massofhair said...

Stunning, stunning, gorgeous, beautiful and so fabulous... Can't think of any more delicious words to describe your card...
A total success:-)

I used this flower technique on another challenge card and enjoyed making it a lot, mine looks more like a carnation though... :-)

debby4000 said...

Oh this is gorgeous Lesley, beautiful flowers.
luv
Debby

Jules said...

Hi Lesley

My lappy is up and running again .. .. yay!!!

I am having a lovely catch up ahead of getting into wedding mode again. Still quite a lot to do alongside my general make.

Your card is gorgeous .. .. and I love the heart embossing very much .. .. can't believe you showed me that!!!!! LOL!!!

I think we all feel that other people do things better than us and admire what they do .. .. I look at your work and am inspired and in awe of it .. .. the secret is just to be happy with what "we" do.

I really love your finished look today. So delicate, neat and precise. Stunning!!

Thank you for all your lovely comments.

Love Jules xx

Linda said...

Lesley Love the flower you have made for this card. Gives a lovely central point to your card.
Thanks for the lovely comment you left me on my blog xxxx

BondGirl said...

lovely soft and delicate looking card. Thanks for joining in our polkadoodle challenge

Maureen said...

Gorgeous card, love the embossing.
Maureen......x

Joan said...

Fabulous card, love the embossing and that flower is beautiful.

Babs said...

Your card is absolutely stunning Lesley, and your flower is so gorgeous, love the embossing too...

Babs x

Babs said...

Love your blog too...

Babs x

Mandy said...

Lesley your card is absolutely stunning, so elegant and beautiful.
I know exactly what you mean about the hours it takes to make one little card, this is well worth it
hugs Mandy xx

Rachelxx said...

Gorgeous card :-)

Linby said...

I have something for you on my blog;)
Linbyx

Julie said...

This is gorgeous Lesley, I lurve that flower. Like you I'm a very slow crafter, it's not the doing it's the deciding!

Viv said...

Such a pretty card Lesley, love that flower esp., I have the blossom nesties must try that too :O)Viv xx

Lynne said...

Absolutely stunning! I love everything about this card.
Lynne A xxx

Lindsey said...

Lesley this is one of the most gorgeous creations I have ever seen! Love that flower and the embossing is just perfect!
Linds x

Liza said...

A stunning card, your flower is gorgeous.

Liza x

Marlou McAlees said...

What a most beautiful elegant card , I love it and thank you for your kind comment :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Leslie,
Reading your post every word rings true to me too, I am the slowest crafter, my own worse enemy when it comes to liking my own designs, my colouring and putting together a card so tiring at times, it's a miracle if I can finish one card in a day!
So I do understand where your coming from but I think and keep telling myself I must be doing something right as my lovely followers say such encouraging things....and judging by all your comments you are definitely doing it right hun....
Your card is stunning, such a striking design, I think it's beautiful
Thanks for dropping by my blog, I hope you don't mind another follower...
x
Vicky

Aileen said...

Lovely soft stylish card. Well done. x

Alex said...

Hi Lesley,
sorry I have missed so much again... stunning stuff as always but this one is extra special! Love your flower and I think you can pull this CAS style off very well! Great card and believe me, even cards that look like they might take no more than 5 minutes to throw together can sometimes take hours... ;-)
Lots of love, Alex

Mona Pendleton said...

Simply beautiful! Love the 3D flower! Thanks for playing along with the WMSC :)

Annie said...

such a beautiful creation, I love the soft colours and the pearly sheen with just a touch of peachy pink. and that bloom is amazing!
hugs, annie x

Julia Aston said...

wonderful soft colors on this! love your pretty flower and the hearts embossing! thanks for playing with the WMS sketch this week!

Marlou McAlees said...

hi Lesley, your card is absolutely beautiful and I thank you for kind comment you left on my blog, one person visited me didn't think it looked right and I had to delete comment :( thanks again and have a lovely weekend :)

Inger Harding said...

Wowwwww sooooo beautiful and elegant!!!!
Love the flower!!!


♥ Hugs, Inger 

Alice said...

very pretty soft colors and that flower is fabulous! lovely card! thanks for joining us at WMSC this week!

An Occasional Genius said...

Just beautiful Lesley!

Fliss said...

Really pretty card Lesley.
Thanks for joining in with Polka Doodles flower power challenge and hope to see you again.
x

anita01 said...

100% geweldigggg, je hartjes embossing folder....te gek Lesley....Waar heb je hem gekocht?
Of een merk? Zou hem dolgraag willen kopen, zo mooi...

Warme groetjes ,
Anita.

Kathleen said...

what a beauty. love that flower!
kathleen mc xx