*Clean and Simple Instagram Hop*

Hello friends... I am here today with my card for the Clean and Simple Instagram Hop!  It's a hop that I run and it's been so fun watching my creative friends explore the clean and simple style.  I love that they are learning that it's not as easy as it looks!

Our theme for the month is COLD

I started my card with a panel cut a little smaller than my card and I scored some diagonal lines along the left edge of the card.  To cover the imperfections of where those lines ended, I adhered some pretty ribbon along the ends of the the score lines.  I finished it off with a die cut sentiment in a shimmery blue cardstock.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stardream Sapphire

*Dies:  Stamplorations Let It Snow

*Embellishments:  super old ribbon from my stash

*Tools:  Scor Buddy

*CAS on Friday #345*

 The current challenge at CAS on Friday is "use a tag"... so I pulled out these great ATC printed pieces from Stamplorations and cut a small tag out of one of them.  I matted it in black, added a simple strip of cardstock and a die cut sentiment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Mossy Meadow

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Hero Arts Nesting Tags; Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #345

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #703*

 There's a gorgeous new sketch at Atlantic Hearts that starts today... I hope it will inspire your creativity!!!

I sat with this sketch for a while, trying to decide how to make it in a style I am more comfortable with.  I tried a few elements (nothing adhered down) and then I came up with this... and I am in love!  What you can't see very well in the photo is that my two white panels are embossed with a soft wave pattern...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Something for Everything; Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangles
*Embossing:  Altenew Soft Waves

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  Stamplorations Blushing Blooms ATCs

*Challenges:  AHSC#703

*Time Out Challenges #311*

 It's time for another Pick 2 Challenge with the team at Time Out Challenges, this time with our sponsor Stamplorations!

I was gifted some gorgeous ATC printed pieces from Stamplorations that I've used in my card today.  They are SO gorgeous!  I chose the words Bloom and Pastel from the Pick 2.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps;  The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Scrapbook.com Nesting Hexagons; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Dotted Circles

*Etc:  Stamplorations Blushing Blooms ATC

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out #311

*Time Out Challenges #220*

I'm back as part of the design team at Time Out Challenges with a new challenge to get your creative juices flowing!  This is one of two non-clean and simple blogs that I design for so let your creativity flow as much as you want with these challenges!

For the next two weeks, we want to see you create your own backgrounds!  We have an awesome prize from Stamplorations available to be won as well!  Head on over to the Time Out blog to see what the rest of the design team has come up with and to share your creations with us!

I had lots of ideas floating in my head but then I remembered that I had some Stamplorations stencils in my stash and decided to use one of them.  This slimeline trees stencil had never been used so I decided to play with it.  I inked it up with Twilight ink first and then moved my stencil ever so slightly and inked it up again with white pigment ink to lighten the majority of each tree to create a bit of a shadow on the right side of each limb.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Smoky Slate, Basic Black

*Images:  Avery Elle Loads of Wishes

*Ink:  Versasfine Clair Nocturne; Catherine Pooler Twilight; Stampin' Up! white

*Stencil:  Stamplorations Slimline Trees

*Challenges:  Time Out #220

*Stencilled Front*

This is *not* a clean and simple card... anything but LOL!  I had some fun playing with a Stamplorations stencil, trying to actually colour block colour.  My stencil lifted in one area... can you tell where?

Card Info

*Images:  Uniko Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Rockin' Red, Lime Rickey, Flirty Fuchsia; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Tools:  Taylored Expressions blending brushes; perfect layers