*CAS on Friday #319*

 The challenge at CAS on Friday is to make "anything but a card"...  

I've been seeing a lot of people talking about Artist Trading Cards lately.  They aren't new, but they aren't something I've really ever made before.  I don't understand the whole idea of trading them LOL.  I discovered that they are a super fun size to play with.  I know that in my photo, they look like cards... but I promise you that they are 2.5" x 3.5" in size!

I plan on making these in to cards in the coming weeks because I will never use them as ATCs

I don't have any card info for you today as all of the pieces I used on my trading cards were from my bin of extras.

*CraftyEngineer's Birthday Bash Hop*

My Instagram friend, Geeta, is celebrating her birthday and hosting an Instagram Hop to share some bright and colourful birthday cards!  I love bright and happy cards, so of course I wanted to help her celebrate!  Happy Birthday Geeta!!!

I used a piece of patterned paper to create this bright birthday card...  I love the colours in this striped paper (and wish I had 20 more sheets of it!).

Card Info

*Cardstock;  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  MFT Party Time

*Stamps:  Uniko Birthday Wishes
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Playful Alphabet; unknown stitched border

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Addicted to CAS #281*

It's time for a new challenge at Addicted to CAS... and this time I am the host!  I chose the code word "star" for this challenge!

I'm sure I had an idea when I chose this word for my challenge... but when it came time to create, I had no idea what I wanted to do LOL!  I had some of this beautiful rainbow pattern paper on my desk so I decided to play with it.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Dies:  We R Memory Keepers Nesting Stars; Pretty Pink Posh Congrats Scripe

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #281

*2024 Spellbinders Advent Hop - Day 19*

 Sorry there was no post for day 18 of the Advent Calendar...  I couldn't come up with anything I liked so I skipped it!

But here I am, back with day 19!  I really need to figure out how to better photograph things I've foiled!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Hammermill Premium Colour Copy

*Stamps:  Spellbinders Advent Day 19

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Blooming Ornament

*Hot Foil Plates:  Spellbinders Blooming Ornament, solid

*Foil:  Spellbinders gold

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*One More Christmas Card*

I think this will be my last Christmas Card in July for this year... maybe LOL!  At least it's the last one I've finished for now.

I was inspired by a card I saw in the Build Your Stash Christmas in July Linky Party... a card by Jenni at Wish I  Was Scrappin'.  I hope you'll go leave her some love for her fabulous card!  It's a fun way to use some smaller pieces of patterned paper.  I cut the papers in to 1/2" strips and glued them down on to a piece of printer paper, leaving a little gap of white between each strip.  Once dry, I turned the page and cut 1/2" strips that included all of the strips I'd glued down.  I then arranged them on a white panel to create this fun, quilted look.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler; Spellbinders gold foil

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Images:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips; Wafle Flower Nesting Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHC Christmas in July; Color Hues #97

   

*Create It Three Ways January Love*

I am participating in the montly Create It Three Ways Instagram Hop again for the month of January... this month, all of the participants are sharing "love" themed cards.  We have each created three different cards using this theme... and we have to use at least one thing the same in all three cards... the same layout, the same technique, the same colours, the same die or stamp set... something that ties all three cards together.

I really don't like make love themed cards because other than my husband, who would I send them to?  I guess I have a few I can give him for the next while LOL!  But I enjoy the challenge of making three cards with not only a common theme but a common element so I went with it.  I also needed something to work on during a crafty afternoon with a couple of friends that didn't require me to take my entire craft room to be able to create at someone else's house.

Here are my three cards... I used not only the same die set on all three colours, but I used the same colour palette for them as well.

Here's a look at each card a little more closely....  I used the same stamp set on two of the cards (MFT Essential Sentiments) and for the one with the big hearts, I used my Silhouette to cut out the word LOVE (in fact, I grabbed that from my bin of extras).  I used the Hero Arts Infinity Hearts on all three cards and my colours were red, black and gold.  My first card with all of the little hearts was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest... you can see the inspiration HERE.

If you'd like to take a look at the rest of the hop participants, please head to my Instagram profile and find the graphic with the three cards...

*Retro Butterflies*

I really do enjoy playing along with challenges because they help me get my creativity going.  Sometimes I skip challenges when they don't appeal to me... and maybe those are the times I should try harder!

I saw the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week and my mind immediately went to a Christmas card... I had to work hard to change my mindset!  I was then inspired by the "insects" challenge at CAS on Friday!

These are some of my favourite Distress Ink colours... however on these butterflies they look like an old 1980-something Sun Ice jacket I had. 

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Ink:  Tim Holtz Salty Ocean, Twisted Citron, Picked Raspberry, Scattered Straw

*Stencil:  Pink Fresh Studio Small Butterflies Layering Stencils

*Dies:  Pink Fresh Studio Small Butterflies

*Foil Plates:  Pink Fresh Studio Small Butterflies

*Foil:  Spellbinders Aura

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Loops

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches #567; CAS on Friday #248

*Paper Ribbon*

I saw a card on Pinterest using this neat technique for creating what looks like a folded ribbon panel on a card using patterned paper. I did a little research on how to to it and decided to try it using those papers I love from Stampin' Up! (the retired paper is Tidings of Christmas).  

To do this, cut yourself a strip of cardstock (I did white) to the width you want (I did 2").  You also need to cut several strips of patterned paper to 2" x 1/2".  You want the strips to coordinate but not completely match.  You then make pencil marks up each side of your cardstock strip at 1/2" intervals (I'm guessing that if you use a different sized strip of patterned paper you'd make your marks the same as those strips).  I laid down all of the striped strips with the first one starting at the top corner of the strip of cardstock and angling so that the top of the other side of the strip was at the first pencil mark.  Continue doing that for all of the striped strips.  I then flipped the white panel top to bottom and did the same for the floral strips of patterned paper, overlapping the striped strips... and it ends up looking like you've folded a piece of ribbon on itself to get that back and forth look.

I know I didn't describe it really well so here's the video that I found to help me to figure it out...  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Layering Ovals

*Embellishments:  unknown pearls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS Colours & Sketches #496*

What a wonderful colour challenge for Christmas cards this week at CAS Colours & Sketches!  I'm glad it's Christmas card season because I don't think I'd be excited about this colour combination at any other time LOL!  I can't wait to see what YOU have created using these colours!  Be sure to share your creations HERE!

I am so happy that I found this Spellbinders die set... I've used it several times this year.  I love that pinecone die!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Soft Succulent, Old Olive, Early Espresso

*Images:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturned

*Dies:  Memory Box Knotted Circle Wreath; Spellbinders Christmas Blooms

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Frosted Lace Stickles

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #496

*Subdued Thank You*

Back in early July we lost a very good friend after a short illness... it was devastating to lose a friend that we loved so much.  She was one of my regular customers in terms of card orders.  Her husband approached me after her funeral, asking if I would please make him some thank you cards to send out to people who helped out so much during her brief illness and after her death... and I said "of course".

He had no guidelines for me, but I knew what I wanted to do.... I wanted something subdued and something floral as Steph was a master gardener.  This was the card I came up with.

*CAS Colours & Sketches #477*

Patricia is our host for the month of July at CAS Colours & Sketches... she chose this wonderfully right colour palette for our first challenge this month.

Being a part of this design team, I have discovered that I am much better at sketch challenges than I am with colour challenges.  When I was only playing along, if the colours didn't speak to me, I didn't play.  If the colours were at all challenging to me, I didn't play.  But now I *have* to play each week and it's hard sometimes!

This was one of those weeks!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  gold mirror; Stampin' Up! Night of Navy, Merry Merlot

*Images:  Paper Rose Studio Cleo Floral Butterfly

*Ink:  Versamark; Copics

*Dies:  MFT Hello

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Etc:  Stampin' Up! gold embossing powder

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #477

*CAS Colours & Sketches #467*

This will be my last post with CAS Colours & Sketches until my wrist heals enough to craft again.  My surgery on Friday went well and I'm in less pain than I was before surgery.  I have no idea when I'll be able to do things with the right hand again... I'm guessing I'll have some answers after my surgical follow up on the 2nd.

But for today, my card using the current sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches... I wanted to leave my background white but I just couldn't.

I used a stencil from Studio Katia and the Nuvo Glimmer Paste in moonstone to add a little something extra to the card... in doing so it's not quite as clean and simple as it should be.

*Sparkles*

Some more of those Pink Fresh Studio rainbow butterflies that I cut out ... I added a few matted layers and a strip of black and white stripes.

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Lemon Lime Twist

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes

*Images:  Pink Fresh Studio Small Butterflies, Happy Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Picked Raspberry, Orange Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron

*Tools:  Fricken Square Corners; Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Nuvo Aqua Shimmer

*Addicted to CAS #214*

Happy Saturday everyone!  It's time for a new clean and simple challenge at Addicted to CAS!  We are playing with one of my favourite themes this week...

I had hoped that my new Taylored Expressions snowflake stencil would have arrived in time for me to play with it for this challenge, but it didn't.  But that's OK.  I played with some dies I haven't used before in some colours I took a chance with.  I am in LOVE with this colour combination of black, white, silver and kraft!  I made this as a birthday card but it could very easily be a Christmas card or a thank you card as well.

I hope you'll play along with us... share your clean and simple snowflake themed cards with us HERE for your chance to be chosen to be a guest designer in an upcoming challenge.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Crumb Cake; silver foil

*Images:  MFT Polar Penguins

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Die:  Memory Box Jolly Snowflake Trio

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #214

*Primary Colours*

I don't use yellow very often... and I'm not honestly sure that I love how much of it I used on this card.  I think maybe I should have done a different colour as the most prominent one.  But yellow seemed right as I was creating the card.  And I'm sure someone is going to love it when I send it to them (I'll just have to make sure they like the colour yellow more than I do!)

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point

*Images:  Gina K Crazy Daisy

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners; Waffle Flower Additional Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Time Out Challenges Design Team*

I am so very excited to share with you all that I have been asked to join the design team at Time Out Challenges.  Time Out is NOT a clean and simple challenge blog, but a card making challenge blog that has new challenges every two weeks.  Some of my cards will be clean and simple, and some of them won't be... I'm excited to be playing along with the team every two weeks.  I hope you'll check them out!

I was asked to play along with the last challenge of 2021.... and the prompt is "new"...  

I didn't want to go with the "new year" theme as it would be a card I'd never send out... so instead I went with new products in my craft stash!  Everything except the cardstock and the birthday word stamp are new in my stash and had never been played with before.

 

Items Used

• Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Basic Black, Granny Apple Green; assorted scraps
• Images:  MFT Essential Sentiments
• Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
• Dies:  Pink Fresh Studios Nested Chevron; Concord & 9th Tall Type Alphabet
• Embellishments:  Studio Katia Sparkling Crystals
• Tools:  Perfect Layers

I hope you'll play along with the Time Out Challenge!!  We look forward to seeing where the word NEW takes you!

*Snowflake Medallion*

I think that this Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflake Backdrop cover die might be meant for people to do some card stitching, but I like how it looks as a subtle background instead.

Back back back in the day, my Mom introduced me to stitching on cards.  This was before dies  and die cutting machines.  We would take a paper pattern and attach it over our cardstock and then put it on a thick foam pad where we would then poke holes with a needle tool.  It was a LOT of work to get it ready to even start the stitching!  My Mom would be so excited to have all of the stitching dies available these days...

What you can't see unless you look at the larger size of this card is that the blue strip is embossed... I wanted it to look a bit like falling snow.

Items Used

*Cardstock:  silver mirror; Stampin' Up! Misty Moonlight

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflake Backdrop;  Stampin' Up! Stitched Snowflakes; Waffle Flower Additional Circles

*Etc:  Sizzix dots embossing folder

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Frosted Lace Stickles

*Precious*

I needed to interrupt my Christmas cards creations with a sympathy card this week.  I think sympathy cards are one of the most important reasons to send a card, but also the worst reason to make a card.  In my world, sympathy cards need to be simple and clean with  muted colours.  It just feels right for me... not a rule that others need to follow.

I think this card will fit in with the theme of "precious" at Time Out Challenges as life is precious... and the life that is lost is precious to those who love them.

I used the Catherine Pooler Skylight ink to create the mat layer in the same colour as the simple Simon Says Stamp wreath... I added a few score lines for dimension.  Super simple.  

*Christmas 24 Challenge #41*

I had Saturday off so my friend Bonnie and I did a little crafty shopping at two local stores.  I found this fabulous 6X6 paper pad from Echo Park that has all of these deliciously dark coloured Christmas papers... and a bunch of these sentiment cards as well.  They really do make a quick card!

You can't tell from my photo, but the top panel is a deep dark olive green.  I decided to play along with the Christmas 24 Challenge of using the colours of green, gold and kraft.  I love all the sparkle on this card!

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake; black and gold glitter

*Paper:  Echo Park Christmas Salutations

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Christmas 24 #41