*CASology #360*

Welcome to another challenge with the CASology Team!!  My favourite part of this CASology challenges is that other than needing to be a clean and simple card, you are free to interpret the cue card however you want.  Please check out what the members of the Design Team have come up with ....  all so different!!!

Also check out what our guest designer, Jan C, has come up with!  For your chance to be a guest designer with us in a future challenge, please be sure to share your card HERE!

My first thought when I saw this cue card was bling!  But then I didn't know what I wanted to do.  I tried a few other ideas with crystal, but my mind kept coming back to bling...  so I decided to go with it!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 100lb
*Patterned Paper:  MFT Black and White Stripes
*Images:  Gina K Wreath Builder
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Spellbinders Beaded Circle
*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Crystal Katana
*Embellishments:  assorted Swarovski Crystals

*AAA#157*

It's time for another 2 week challenge with the team from AAA Cards!!!  I was excited for the optional twist on this theme as I was gifted a great My Favorite Things stamp set and was looking forward to using it!!

For this challenge, our sponsor is Ink Road Stamps. And our Guest Designer is Kylie!  I hope you'll hop on over to the AAA Cards blog to have a look at what the Design Team has put together for this challenge... and we hope you'll link your creations for us to be able to have a look at how you interpreted our clean and simple challenge!  You don't need to have a blog...  the linky tool will allow you to share from a blog, your Instagram account or even a Flickr account!

One layer cards are always a little bit of a struggle for me... but this time around, the card came together pretty easily.  I kind of knew the look I wanted and I just went for it.  The worst part was fussy cutting a mask for the little penguin.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb
*Images:  MFT Polar Penguins
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Catherine Pooler Something Borrowed; Tombow Markers
*Tools:  Life Changing Blending Brushes
*Etc:  Lawn Fawn Liquid Stardust

*Winter Scene Thanks*

A very quick and easy card to put together to share with you guys today.  Again, a great card if you were looking to make multiples.  I just love this Stampin' Up! paper!!!  The other side is a silver foil design.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Night of Navy
*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Feels Like Frost
*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Big Thanks
*Tools:  Gemini; Perfect Layers Tool
*Etc:  Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen

*So Many Snowflakes*

Back again with another winter themed thank you card... I have a few more after this too (sorry if you're getting bored!).  I do challenge you to grab out some of the stamps you save for Christmas cards and create some birthday or thank you cards for your winter card needs!  It's been fun!

For this card I used a new little tool that my sister gave me for Christmas.  I have tried a lot of "gem picker" tools and I find them all great for picking up the gems but none of them really release easily on to your adhesive.  She bought the Crystal Katana tool and let me tell you how impressed I am with it!  It easily picked up the gem with very little effort and as soon as I touched it to the glue, it was off the tool.  I am so glad I asked for it for Christmas!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 100lb; Stampin' Up Balmy Blue
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Simply Sentiments
*Ink:  VersaMark
*Dies:  Impression Obsession Snowflake Background:  Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners
*Tools:  spray glue; Gina K Connect Glue; Perfect Layers; Gemini Jr, Crystal Katana
*Etc:  clear flat gems

*Thank You So Much*

I'm on the Scrap 'n Stamp Canada blog today with a winter thank you card...  I have really been enjoying using some traditionally "Christmas" (at least in my world) images and dies in my cards for January.  It's still winter so a lot of these items I save for Christmas are working really well!

This card would be great for mass producing... once I had the layout down, it only took a bit to put the card together.

I started by cutting out the snowflake in silver glitter paper and trimming off the part that makes it an ornament.  I then cut a circle out of a 4X5.25" panel.  I glued the snowflake to the inside of the panel so that it kinda looks like a peek-a-boo.  I added foam adhesive to the back of the entire panel and put the patterned paper (cut to a small square) behind the circle opening.  I added some regular double sided tape to the back of the patterned piece and stuck it all to the front of a card.  I added the sentiment banner across the front to finish it off.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 100lb
*Patterned Paper:  Concord & 9th Neutral Glitter Paper Pack; MFT 6X6 Over the Rainbow
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Simply Sentiments
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Memory Box Telluride Snowflake; Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners; Spellbinders Circles
*Etc:  foam adhsive

*Snowflake Thanks*

I have been very fortunate since my recent cancer diagnosis to have a lot of people step up with little acts of kindness... and being a card maker, I feel the need to send off some thank you cards to let them know how much their efforts are appreciated.  So I spent the last few days of 2017 working on some Thank You cards, many of which are using winter themed supplies that I'd usually save for Christmas cards.  I guess I just couldn't put away the Christmas stamps, dies and papers quite yet!

My sister found some GinaK toner sheets on the floor between the wall and one of my towers of drawers that I honestly forgot I bought last year... so I decided it was more than time to play with them!  I cut the large sheet into smaller sizes and sent a few through my laminator with some foil.  For this card, it's a blue foil.  I wish you could experience the shimmer as I see it.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb; blue shimmer; vellum
*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Big Thanks
*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Perfect Layers; laminator
*Etc:  Gina K toner sheet; Gina K foil

*CASology #359*

And we're back!  After a little break for the holidays, the CASology team is back with another challenge.  For the next two weeks, we want to see your take on the cue "repeat".  And honestly, this is an open ended challenge, as long as your card is clean and simple.  You can repeat an image, you can repeat a challenge, you can do whatever the word "repeat" speaks to you! 

We'd love to see your interpretations of this challenge so be sure to load them up on the CASology Blog.  As always,  you could be chosen to be a guest designer on a future challenge!

For this challenge, our Guest Designer is Claire!

I decided to go with a repeating image for my card... I think it's fun that you'll see some different interpretations of this challenge from each of the members of the design team. 

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White
*Patterned Paper:  MFT Dots & Stripes Bright
*Images:  MFT New Best Friend
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Copics
*Tools:  Perfect Layers Tool; Stampin' Up! Stampartus

*AAA #156*

Welcome to the first challenge of 2020 with the AAA Cards crew!  Our sponsor for challenge #156 is Crafty Stampers! 

Joining us as a guest designer for this challenge is Arlene!

As you can see from the cue card below, we are playing with a sketch for the next two weeks with the optional twist of Winter Birthday.  Be sure to head to the AAA Cards blog to share your creation with us for your chance to win.  If you don't have a blog, you can also link to cards in other ways (like Instagram and Flickr).

I stuck with the square shape for this card... kind of wish I would have gone with a regular sized card instead.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Feels Like Frost
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Yeti or Not
*Ink:  GinaK Amalgam; Catherine Pooler Suede Shoes; Copics
*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut
*Embellishments:  Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen

I hope you'll play along with us!

*Snarky New Year Blog Hop*

Welcome to the first challenge of 2020 with the team at Scrap 'n Stamp Canada!!  We are all having a little fun with the theme for January which is Snarky Cards.  We want to see cards with a little tongue in cheek humour.  We'd love to see what you create so share them over on the Scrap 'n Stamp Challenge Facebook Page.

Also remember to visit each of the blogs listed below and leave a little comment on each site... you'll be entered to win a $50 gift card from Scrap 'n Stamp!  (winner will be announced on the Scrap 'n Stamp blog on or after January 21st).

There is also Snarky New Years coupon code you can use if you want to order any of the items you see on the blog hop!  Simply enter in SNY20 to receive $20 off any purchase of $75 or more (before taxes and shipping).  This coupon code is valid until January 5th at midnight PST.

This card took me a while... I knew I wanted to use the MFT Impact Numbers and I picked out the sentiment and had those sitting on my desk.  It needed *more* so I tried the MFT striped paper.  and it wasn't quite right still.  So I played around creating a black frame and suddenly, it all came together!

As 2020 is the year I turn 50, I have several friends from my childhood turning 50 this year as well...  I might need to make a few more of these cards LOL!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Yupo
*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes
*Images:  MFT Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings 2
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Alcohol Pearls in Tranquil and Raspberry
*Dies:  MFT Impact Numbers; Square Dies
*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Perfect Layers
*Etc:  foam tape

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team came up with for this fun Blog Hop!  And don't forget to leave comments on all of the stops along the way!

Tara

Laurie

Susan

Kia

Deborah

Nancy E

Sandi

*Happy New Year!*

Welcome to 2020!  So hard to believe that the whole Y2K scare was 20 years ago.... wasn't it just 1980 20 years ago?? 

2020 marks the year I turn 50... and that freaks me out a bit.  It's also the year my oldest turns 25.  I remember 25.  I had him at 25.  I was married for a few years, living on our own in a city half way across the country from our families... it's so strange!!!

Anyway... I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years Eve and that you are ready for whatever 2020 has in store for you.  With this whole cancer thing, I've decided I'll really and truly celebrate the new year when treatment is over.  I had chemo yesterday (the 31st) and have my take home bottle of chemo until late tomorrow afternoon.  I still feel pretty good so I was able to enjoy NYE with my husband and my sister.

I have a few more cards to share with you that I created in 2019...  and today is one of them.  A pretty quick and easy birthday card to add to your stash.  You could easily make this a more masculine card by simply changing up the colours you choose.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Lemon Lime Twist, Berry Burst, Pool Party
*Stamps:  MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  SSS Big Happy; Spellbinders Nesting Circle Dies
*Tools:  Gemini Jr (YUP, Santa brought me one!!!)
*Etc:  Gina K Connect Glue

*Little Break*

Just popping in to let you know I'm taking just a little blogging break ...  I ran out of cards to share and wanted to enjoy some time with my family instead of in my craft room for a few days.  I am back in the craft room today, playing a little bit and I will be back to post in the New Year.

Enjoy the last few days of 2019....  so hard to believe we are starting 2020 so soon!!  Nuts!

Cheers!

*Merry & Bright Lights*

I gotta tell you, I feel in love with these stamps and dies from MFT the second I saw them...  I had to have the lights.  I just had to!  And I am so glad I bought them....  I will tell you that adding a little line of white gel pen makes these lights just pop on my paper...  gives them that little added dimension.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 100lb; Stampin' Up! Real Red & Granny Apple Green
*Images:  MFT Party Lights, Hand-Lettered Christmas
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  MFT Party Lights
*Tools: Big Shot; Misti
*Etc:  White Gelly Roll gel pen

*Merry Christmas*

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  It's been a round last few months of 2019 but Christmas still makes me feel like life is magical.  I miss having little kids around at this time of year... miss their reactions to every little thing.  But it's also great to have adults around you who still believe in some of the Magic of Christmas... I am truly blessed with my husbands and sons and am so happy to be spending today with them.

I saw a card just like this on Instagram the other day...  made by @cardsbycheryl.  I like how it's rather classic in its look without being too retro.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Wrapped in Plaid
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Versamark
*Dies:  Impression Obsession Snowflakes, Small Snowflakes; Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners
*Etc:  White embossing powder
*Tools:  heat tool

*Joy Wreath*

This card looked so much better in my head than it turned out... I think it ended up being just a little too busy...  It's not that I don't like it, but I just don't love it... know what I mean?

I can't believe it's the 24th of December...  our family is celebrating Christmas a little differently this year since I'm in the midst of cancer treatments (2 of 12 rounds are done... #3 starts in a week).  I almost host Christmas here at the house but with not knowing how I'd be feeling, we decided to step back this year.  In fact, for the first time ever, Christmas will be just the four of us here.  We are doing our big dinner tonight and tomorrow we plan on opening presents, having a big breakfast, playing games and having left overs.... in our jammies.  I will admit that it feels strange, but I think it's truly what we need this year, in more ways than one.

Items Used: 
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Wrapped in Plaid, Feels Like Frost
*Images:  Pretty Pink Posh Winter Wreath
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Tombows
*Dies:  MFT Impact Alphabet
*Tools:  Big Shot
*Etc:  Stampin' Dimensionals