Into The Forest

"Into the Forest" is today's CAS challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers. This challenge was the motivation that I needed to try to make the card that has been playing around in my imagination for several weeks.

After breakfast one morning at Cracker Barrel, I saw this wooden plaque that really caught my attention. Right away I could tell that it was going to be the perfect inspiration for a special Christmas card. I did not get a good picture because, at the time, there were lots of things in front of it.

The card was perfect for today's challenge. 

The card basically used dies. The trees are from Impression Obsession. The deer is from Memory Box (I think). The larger stars were made using a punch, and the tiny stars were cut from a new Stampin' Up die in the set called "Card Front Builder Thinlet Dies".I was hoping that the small tree and the tiny stars would add depth to the picture. For the background I used Night of Navy card stock. For the die cuts I used a beautiful glitter card stock from Core'dinations. The greeting is from the Our Daily Bread Designs set called "Luke 2:11" which was heat embossed with silver embossing powder.

Thanks for stopping by.

Baby Card in Plaid

Monday I did a CAS challenge with the theme "Mad about Plaid". I needed a card this morning for a baby shower. The couple is not telling if the baby is a boy or girl. As I was thinking about the card I needed to make, my thoughts returned to the card that I made on Monday. I loved the color. The plaids and polka dots together were so pretty, and I had lots of paper still left. So all I really needed to do was change the image. I remembered a stamp set that I have from Gina K Designs That would be just perfect. So, now it is time for me to show you a picture-----

I stamped the image on watercolor paper with VersaFine Black Onyx ink and heated embossed it with clear fine detailed embossing power. Using my distress ink markers and aqua painted I watercolored the image and cut out several layers using my Spellinder dies. I was pleased with the result and happy to give the card to the expectation mother.

CAS446 -- "Mad for Plaid"

"Mad for Plaid" was today's CAS challenge. So many ideas started going through my head. I started to do a navy and white color combination but that idea changed quickly when I saw this paper. I had purchased the Coordination paper at JoAnn's just a couple of weeks ago. I believe there were four different designs per color. I wanted to see what I could do with it.

Pool Party card stock went well with the designer paper. I used a very simple design because I wanted the paper to stand out. To make the daisy, I used the Stampin' Up set "Delightful Daisy", Pool Party ink to stamp the flower and the coordinating punch to cut it out. I found some enamel dots that were a good match so I used them to add a little accent.

Weekly Favorite for week ending Sept 16, 2017

CAS443 -- Sweet Birthday Wishes

Love the CAS challenge today at Splitcoast Stampers. "Sweet Birthday Wishes" I immediately thought of this stamp by Penny Black called "Sweet thing". It took me a while to find it. Then it was ready, set, go. I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and used my Prisma Colored Pencils (with Gamsol) to do the coloring. I cut the image out with Spellbinder dies, found some coordinating card stock, a piece of Designer Series Paper and the perfect birthday stamp. Finished. A very simple card. Just took a little bit of time to do the coloring.

A Clean and Simple Challenge

CAS442

I read the CAS challenge at Splitcoast Stampers this morning -- "Create a monochromatic colored card with a twist". The explanation for the twist read, "The twist is you can color one portion of your image, that is, if you use flowers, one flower only, not the leaves or other flowers." For this challenge white, black, grey and kraft are considered neutrals.

I was working on another card late morning when I got an idea. I was using a new die cut for my card. In the process, I had cut three images of the same die and I had all these extra pieces. I began playing around and this is the card that I came up with.

The die is from "Gina Marie Designs". I came across her dies at the Mega Meet that takes place in Novi, Michigan usually the second week end in May. She has some really cool dies. This one I purchased in May and had not used it. I had cut it three times: once in Marina Mist, Crushed Curry and white. I had already used the one in Marina Mist. This one in Crushed Curry was there waiting to be used. The little panda bear stamp is from the Unity Stamp Co. I stamped it onto the white circles using Crushed Curry ink. For the twist, I stamped a complete image using VeraFine Black Onyx ink and cut him out. I think this little panda is the cutest. I hope that the card will bring a smile to someone special.


August 20, 2017
This card was mentioned in the Favorites of the week ending August 19, 2017 at Splitcoast Stampers.

CAS376 -- For A Special Lady

After making and posting an anniversary card on Saturday afternoon, I made another card that evening that was very similar but different. I think it is perfect for today's challenge --  "For A Special Lady". I used a new set of Spellbinder dies that are so lacy and delicate. This is the style of card I love to make -- lacy with flowers.

This picture show the delicate, shaped edge on the front of the card--

This picture shows the piece of card stock I added to the

inside to create the color that is seen from the front--

My card was in "Favorites for the week ending May 15" at Splitcoast Stampers.

CAS375

CAS375 Challenge:  Make a wedding or anniversary card.
On a day when so much was happening, I didn't think I would have time to make a card for today's challenge. As soon as I read the challenge, I knew what I had to do. As I was looking for some "butterflies" on Saturday, I ran across some pieces of cards that I had started months ago. They were on my desk in an "organizer". I had some pieces that were going to be perfect.

Being white-on-white, the details were hard to capture. I used a punch for the flowers and the "Fanciful Flourish" is from Cheery Lynn Designs. I added crystal stickles to the flower centers to give them a little sparkle. The sentiment and inside message are from two different Stampin' Up's sets: "Botanicals For You" and "Petite Petals".

CAS374

For today's CAS challenge we were to create a background. For my card, I made a mask using one of my oval dies. I sponged on some Memento sky blue and dandelion yellow ink to make my background. The birds are from the Stampin' Up set called "World of Dreams". I had wanted this stamp set for a long time. I finally got it a few months ago. Now it is on this years retiring list.

No sentiment. I could not decide what to use so I added nothing. I like it plain.

May 1, 2016
Selected as a "FAVORITE for the week ending May 1" in the General Stamping forum at Splitcoast Stampers.

CAS Cards

I have been working on some cards for a new stamp club that will be starting later this month. This afternoon I realized that I could post this one card to the "Less is More" challenge. The challenge is to make a CAS card using Neutral colors. I have never entered a card in this challenge so this will be my first.

I have had this stamp for a long time and never used it. I stamped it onto white card stock and then drew a box around it so that the little guy would look like he is peering out of a hole. He was colored using colored Pencils. I am sending the card to my granddaughter tomorrow. She loves animals.

So I made a second card. The same but a little different.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

CAS338

Want to post my card for Monday's CAS challenge at Splitcoast Stampers. The theme was "Cute Critters". I used stamps from the Unity Stamp Co. and added a little watercoloring to accent the main image.

I will also post this card to "Friends with Flair" Friday on the Unity Stamp Co. blog.

CAS334 -- Summer Treats

As summer arrives I look forward to all the fresh vegetables and fruit. Here in Michigan, cherries are plentiful and delicious. I have this stamp from Stamps by Judith so I decided that it was time to use it. The card is very simple. After stamping the cherries several times, I colored them with Prisma colored pencils. Found green and red card stock in the scrap box to mat the image. Finally I used a birthday stamp from the Stampin' Up set called "Happiest Birthday Wishes" for the sentiment. Finally I used a red colored pencil to add color to the word "birthday".

CAS332--Bee Happy

Today's CAS challenge was to use a mason jar on our card. I thought, "This will be easy." When I started, none of my ideas worked. Finally, I looked at the catalog from Stamps by Judith and did a CASE of one of the images I saw. This is how the card turned out.

CAS331--Sketch Time

This weeks CAS challenge at SCS is a sketch. It's a simple design but one that offers many possibilities.

This is my card. I used some new stamps. Love them! They are stamps from a set called "Blossom Stackers" from the Unity Stamp Co. There is also a set of Spellbinder Dies that matches many of the stamps in the set. I used SU Primrose Petals ink and card stock. The pink card stock I found in a box of scraps.

CAS330 -- Stars or Strips

"Stars or Strips"

I chose "stars". Chloe's (my second granddaughter) birthday is in a few days. She will be 14.  It seems like such a short time ago that we were welcoming her into the family. She is growing into a beautiful teenager. I used the CAS challenge as a starting point.

For the card base I chose a dark navy paper that has white or silver specks in it. It reminds me of stars. I used  a Spellbinder die for the large star and a punch for the smaller stars. The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up set "Pictogram Punches".

CAS329 -- Best of Luck

"Clean and Simple" --  That is the type of card I make most often. This is my card for today's CAS challenge at SCS. The theme was -- Thank you Paula. Paula has been a part of the CAS team for some time and now she is stepping down.  She has a beautiful gallery at Splitcoast Stampers.

I found this little stamp set on my desk. The sentiment "Best Of Luck" really jumped out at me and I just had to use it. I wish Paula the best in whatever she decides to do next.

The stamp set from My Favorite Things is called 4-Leaf Clover. I used my Prisma colored pencils  to color the image. The card base is SU Marina Mist card stock. I added a triangle of the Marina Mist DSP for a little more interest.

Wishing you some "sunshine" in your life today.

CAS328--Let The Sunshine In

Today's Clean and Simple challenge at SCS is all about the sunshine. We had rain in Michigan this weekend so it is nice to see the sun some today. I guess there is a chance of showers this afternoon as the sun heats things up.

Wednesday is our 48th wedding anniversary so I was thinking about a card for my husband. The thought "You are my sunshine" came to me after reading about the challenge. I have no stamp anything like that so I went to the computer, created my sentiment and printed it out on natural colored card stock. I meant to make a one layer card but the sentiment got printed on the paper in the wrong spot for that. I masked off the sentiment and sponged the sun's rays with SU So Saffron ink, then used a distress marker to create the lines that makes it look like there is an extra panel. Still have to work on the inside message.

I am also submitting this card to the Paper Players weekly challenge -- PP248. The challenge is to create a masculine card.

A New Day, A New Week, A New Challenge

I missed last week's CAS challenge at Splitcoast Stamps and at The Paper Players. I tried all week to get a card made for each challenge but it did not happen. It's Monday morning and I have a card that will fit both challenges for this week.

First, the challenge at The Paper Players is a tic-tac-toe challenge. Had a little trouble getting the three elements to match one row. I chose the  middle vertical row, but the card also matches the bottom horizontal row.

The CAS challenge at SCS was "A Thank You to Angie". She has decided to step down as one of the CAS hostesses. I have always enjoyed her sweet comments and beautiful cards. We could either make a thank you card or CASE a card from Angie's gallery. I choose to CASE one of her cards and to also make it a thank you card. Here is the link to the card I chose.

 I found a small piece of the designer paper which was retired many years ago along with a sheet of SU Bordering Blue card stock (also retired). I think these papers were some of the first that I bought when I began my card making journey. I just followed Angie's layout and used the elements from the Tic-Tac-Toe challenge -- any shade of blue, embossing and patterned paper. The "Thank You" sentiment is from Our Daily Bread Designs Mini Tags, stamped with VersaFine Black Onyx ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.

New Week -- New Challenges

This afternoon I made one card for two challenges. That does not happen often. I seem to go one at a time. The challenge this week at The Paper Players is a color challenge. The colors of choice are: Lost Lagoon, Pistachio Pudding and Sahara Sand. I have the first two colors but not the Sahara Sand. I tried my best to find a good match in all my papers but really did not come up with a good one. I did the best I could. I chose a sheet of Bazzill card stock in the color "Taffy". It is much lighter than Sahara Sand but seemed to be the best match.

The second challenge was the CAS challenge at SplitCoast Stampers which was to make a "thank you" card. I need one of these so the challenge was a perfect fit.

 

I was able to attend the Michigan Scrapbooker's Mega Meet on Saturday in Novi, Michigan. It was fun to shop with several of my favorite vendors and see all the new things on the market. One stop was "The Stamps of Life" booth. I purchased a set of dies with two coordinating stamp sets. The stamps I used today were from the set called "chalk sayings 2 stamp". The card base is the Bazzill Taffy card stock. I used the hexagon hive die cut from Pistachio Pudding for the second layer. I cut the die a second time using Lost Lagoon. I layered some of the Lost Lagoon cut outs onto the Pistachio Pudding layer. Then I added three little flowers which were stamped with the SU "Pictogram Punches" set. They were stamped with Lost Lagoon ink onto Lost Lagoon card stock and punched out using the coordinating punch.

 

Thank you for stopping by my blog.

 

May 16,2015 -- Listed in the Paper Players Cut Above List.

CAS323 -- Happy May

I have been able to make a card for this week's CAS challenge at Splitcoast Stampers. We were to use the letters in the word "MAY" as our guide.

Here is what I came up with--
M -- Morning Meadows stamp set
A -- Always Artichoke ink and aqua (from Lost Lagoon ink which looks more blue in the picture than in real life).
Y -- You're Lovely stamp set and yellow stickles

 

I started out to make a one layer card, but when I messed up on the stamping, I cut the layer off and continued to make my card without starting over. For the final touch, I used one of my stencils and added a little color to the opposite corners.

 

This is how I put it all together--

CAS320 -- Stencil It

"Stencil It" is the theme for today's CAS challenge at SCS. A couple of weeks ago I prepared a class on "Stencils -- Ways To Use Them". I made several images and cards demonstrating the use of stencils. None of the cards have been posted so I am going to use two of them for this week's challenge.

This sunburst stencil is from Tim Holtz. I have used it several times and love it. For both of my cards, I was trying to create a early morning feel. I used SU so saffron and crushed curry inks on this sunburst but I can't remember to name of the blue I used. The stamp for the sentiment is one from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps set "Be Encouraged".

This was an Easter card I was working on. The stamps were from the old Cornish Heritage Farms company which went out of business several years ago. The company re-opened under new owners but I don't think they ever brought back this stamp set. The tomb stamp was a line image. Since I wanted a solid image, I colored the image in with the darkest gray Copic marker I have. You can still see a little of the stamp details but I thought it added interest to the image.

This last card was listed in the "Favorites of the Week" ending April 19 at SCS.