*Happy Birthday Dalis!*

 Today, I'm participating in a birthday hop for my Instgram friend Dalis... please go give her some birthday love!!

I purchased a bunch of new pattern paper a few weeks ago and decided that a bright and happy birthday card was going to be perfect for Dalis!  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Paper:  Unity Yay, It's Today!

*Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Big Old Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Cheerful, Glamorous (I overlapped them to get the orange)

*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Etc:  foam adhesive

*CAS Colours & Sketches #579*

 There's a fabulous new sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches, this time designed by Amanda.  

I took my idea from a few days ago and played with it again, this time using some layering stamps.  Instead of using all three layers of this stamp, I only used two.  I love the hint of colour on the petals.  By using my Misti and rotating my cardstock, I only had to place each stamp once.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Altenew Fabulous Florets; Honeybee Stamps Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Purple Delight

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #579; All About #2

*Addicted to CAS #261*

It's time for a new clean and simple challenge over at Addicted to CAS

I have some different stamps of different critters, but I decided to play with this fun set of balloon animals.  To give them a bit of a translucent look, I embossed them in white powder on white cardstock and gave them a bit of a hit with some ink blending.

Card Info

*Images:  Avery Elle More Party Animals; MFT Something for Everything
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Morning Mist; Versamark; Tim Holtz Distress Ink Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Twisted Citron

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles; Avery Elle More Party Animals; MFT Something for Everything

*Embossing:  WOW white embossing powder

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #261

*CAS Colours & Sketches #536*

It's the first Tuesday of the month which means it's time for a new colour challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches.  We can't wait to see what you create with this fun colour combination!

I actually had fun playing with this colour combination, after I spent a good 30 minutes looking for the Pebbled Path cardstock I was sure I had.  I didn't find it until Sunday... about a week after I made this card!  So, in the end I had to play with an ink colour that was somewhat close to Pebbled Path.  And I'm glad to have had the opportunity to think outside my box by using ink instead of paper!  I do a lot of die only cards!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Pool Party, Lost Lagoon

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Morning Mist

*Dies:  Picket Fence Studio; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips

*Stencil:  Gina K Decorative Double

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #536

*Time Out Challenges #241*

It's time for a new challenge at Time Out Challenges... and for the next two weeks we want to see the cards (or other creations) that make you laugh!  We challenge you to be FUNNY!  We have a prize from Lawn Fawn so make sure you enter!

I love sarcasm and things that are tongue in cheek.... and to pair those with something that isn't necessarily funny is even better in my world.  I took a perfectly fine card and added a little humour with my sentiment...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  MFT Over the Rainbow

*Stamps:  Hero Arts Snarky Mix & Match; CASual Friday Celegrate

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Charming Pink, Cheerful, Paradise

*Embellishments:  Studio Katia Central Park Fusion; Kaiser PEarls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out #241

*Addicted to CAS #231*

It's time for a new clean and simple challenge at Addicted to CAS and I am the host!  And I have to admit, I chose a challenge code word for this challenge.  Layers can be VERY tricky when working with clean and simple designs as one of the "rules" is to have minimal layers.  But there are lots of ways to use layering in your clean and simple designs.... I can't wait to see what others come up with!!

I decided to use ink layering with a stamp set designed for layers...  I love all of the Altenew layered stamp sets but I truly prefer to do very few of the layers to create a more clean and simple look

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Altenew Whispy Joy; Spellbinders Sentiments for You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Tulip Red, CHeerful, Summertime, Shady Lane, Nocturne

*Dies:  Altenew Whispy Joy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #231

*Paper Candles*

 I truly have a lot of patterned paper... and I honestly don't know why since it often doesn't fit in to a clean and simple style!  I think because it's just so darn pretty!  I go through periods where I use it a lot and periods where I don't use it much.  I think I need to go through a period where I don't buy it.

Thanks so much to Nadine (@scrappinready on Instagram) for the inspiration!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Island Indigo

*Paper:  MFT Party Time

*Images:  Stampin' Up! Biggest Wish

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Glamorous and Nocturne

*One Layer Thanks*

The current challenge at Simply Less is More is to make a one layer card and use only one word (instead of an entire sentiment) on it.  Thanks is an easy card to fit this challenge!

Although I love clean and simple cards, I do struggle a bit with one layer cards.  I do like that extra matted layer with the 1/16th border to add some interest and to draw your eye.  Not to mention my love of die cuts!  But I resisted the urge and created that card that is simple stamps on a folded card.

Card Info

*Images:  Waffle Flower Leafy; Catherine Pooler Bloomin' Bouquet; Simon Says Stamp Big Bouquet

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Verdant, Purple Delight

*Challenges:  Less is More #459

*A Quick Note*

I just LOVE these Altenew layering florals... but I don't think I've ever used them with all of the layers.  I like the outline with a just a hint of colour from the smallest amount of detail layer.  I need to find some more flowers that make my heart happy for this technique!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Altenew Fabulous Florets; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Purple Delight

*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  unknown bling

*CAS Colours & Sketches #457*

Good morning crafty friends... it's time for a colour challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches.  Yoon has chosen some deep rich colours and I'll be honest, I didn't know what to do with them!  I don't craft with brown very much so this was a tough one for me.

Many years ago I gave up my Stampin' Up! ink pads because honestly, I wasn't using them.  So these colour challenges are a bit difficult for me as I try to find ink colours that match as closely as possible from the other inks in my stash.

For our colour challenges, you must use all of the stated challenge colours. You may also use neutral colours; however, the challenge colours should be the most noticeable ones featured on your card. We use Stampin' Up colour names for reference, but you are welcome to use any other companies' products as long as you match the challenge colours as closely as possible. 

I do hope you'll play along with these colours and share your creations with us HERE!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Evening Evergreen, Early Espresso, Merry Merlot

*Images:  Avery Elle Loads of Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Pinecone

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms

*Tools:  Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes; Post It Tape; Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #457

*Many Blooms*

Can you tell I had an order for some Mother's Day cards?  I had fun with this one...  just a bunch of die cut flowers covering the edge of a embossed lower portion of a card.  As with a Copic coloured one layer card, I cut a panel the same size of my card and partially embossed it and then put it on top of the card.  This way the interior of the card is flat while the front of the card is textured.

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette

*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Mom & Dad Icons

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Morning Mist

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms

*Etc:  Stampin' Up! embossing folder

*Another for Mom*

I like the bright colours of this card...  I had fun playing with some different stamp set elements and ink colours.  I wonder now if the green cardstock should have been a different shade.

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green

*Images:  Stampin' Up! Eastern Beauty; Photoplay Mom & Dad

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Verdant, Warm Breeze, Charming Pink

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Merry & Bright*

I don't know how Stampin' Up did it with this paper, but I swear it looks like those lights just glow.  The images just seem to pop off the paper.  I don't even want to cover it up with anything.

I like this offset rectangle that I used...

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler
*Paper:  Stampin' Up! All Is Bright

*Images:  MFT Merry & Bright

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Green Oasis

*Dies:  MFT Phrase Builders

*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Embellishments:  Studio Katia Tiny Iridescent Bubble

*Second Attempt Christmas 24 Challenge*

As I was trying to fall back to sleep a few mornings ago, I had an idea for this card that would work with the colours for the Christmas 24 Challenge #41.  I never did fall back to sleep, but I did get up and make this card LOL!

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Crumb Cake; gold mirror

*Images:  Stampin' Up! Festive Foliage

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Green Oasis

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Joy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenge:  Christmas 24 Challenge #41

*Simply Less is More #449*

I played with the Altenew Fabulous Florets stamp set as a triple layer stamp instead of a double layer stamp this time...  and instead of finding three different shades of blue, I used two and did a second generation stamping for the lighter layer.  A little less clean and simple looks than when I use only two colours, but I wanted another "shade of blue" for the Shades of Blue challenge over at Simply Less is More.

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Blueberry Bushel

*Images:  Altenew Fabulous Florets; My Favorite Things Bitty Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Warm Breeze, Paradise, Bluebell

*Tools:  Misti; Perfect Layers
*Embellishments:  Studio Katia Sparkling Crystals

*Etc:  foam adhesive.

*Ultimate Challenge Blog Hop with Altenew*

The team at AAA Cards was asked to participate in a large challenge blog hop sponsored by Altenew... and since I love Altenew, I had to play along!  The hop includes several different challenge blogs which I thought was a fun idea!

If you'd like to see what the others on the AAACards Design team put together for this fun hop, please click HERE.... and to start the entire blog hop and enter to win some prizes, head HERE!

I love love love this technique with the Altenew layering stamps where you use only the outline and the detail stamps of the three in the set.  I have no idea what kind of flowers these are, but they sure are pretty!

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb

*Images:  Altenew Fabulous Florets

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Verdant, Paradise, Purple Delight

*Tools:  Misti

*CASology #394*

Welcome to a Tuesday that feels like a Monday thanks to a Provincial Holiday yesterday.  Although with my job, I work Wednesday thru Saturday every week so holiday Mondays don't usually affect how I feel about a week.  For some reason, I felt like yesterday was Sunday instead of Monday and now I'm all messed up LOL

It's time for the monthly clean and simple challenge at CASology... for the next month we want to see your clean and simple cards following the cue of MASK.  You can interpret this any way you want, which is what I love about this challenge.   Please head over to the CASology blog to see what the rest of the design team has come up with.

I masked off a rectangle in the centre of my card and stamped some colourful floral images around it (masking off some of the flowers and leaves as well).  I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about the panel until I stepped away from it for a bit... and now I really love how the colours just POP on the card.

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb

*Images:  Altenew Henneh Elements; Gina K Crazy Daisy

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Verdant, Summertime, Glamourous

*Dies:  Waffle Flower A2 rectangle dies
*Etc:  foam adhesive

Now it's your turn!  Share your creations with us HERE for your chance to be chosen as a guest designer in an upcoming challenge. 

*Snail Mail Mini Slimline*

I honestly didn't think much of the mini slimline idea until I tried one....  and while it's not my favourite size to work with, I do find it a lot of fun!  I created this card a few weeks ago, playing along with the Craft Roulette parameters for week #62.  The parameters were slimline, critters, blue +2 and confetti.

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb

*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Snail Mail

*Images:  My Favorite Things Essential Sentiments; Catherine Pooler Party Fans

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Glamourous

*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*AAACards #191*

It's no surprise that I love clean and simple cards...  When I started card making I don't think I would have gravitated to a clean and simple card.  I've done a lot of different styles and techniques in almost 25 years of stamping and card making and right now, it's clean and simple that really catches my eye.  This is why I love playing along with the design teams for a few different clean and simple challenge blogs.  Each of the challenge blogs have their own definitions of the clean and simple terms, and I think the AAA Cards is possibly the *most* clean and simple of the design teams I'm on.

One issue we've been having lately is that people playing along with us aren't following the design team definition of a one layer card... so we have changed the name to a no layer card.  This means there is NOTHING extra layered on to your card.... no patterned papers, no die cuts, no embellishments.  Just the decorated card front.  You *can* stamp on a panel and layer it to your card if you're wanting to colour with a medium that will soak through your cardstock (Copics, for example) but it should completely cover your card front with no border or addition embellishment.

For challenge #191, we are also playing with a twist of Hexagons!  We'd love to see your creations!  Post them HERE and you could be a guest designer in an upcoming challenge!  Our Guest Designer for Game #191 is Sue... be sure to head over to her blog and leave her some love!

After I finished this card, I found a stamp set in my stash that had a hexagon border in it....  I seriously didn't think I had anything and I contemplated just doing the no layer card.  But then I had an idea and I challenged myself to use the Silhouette I bought years ago and have barely used....

Yup, I created myself a hexagon shaped card!  I taped off a 1.25" strip on the card front and stamped my images inside of it.  I removed the tape and used a ruler and  black pen to draw the black lines.  I added a small sentiment and called it done!

Items Used

• Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb
• Images:  Altenew Celebrate Today
• Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Cheerful, Verdant
• Tools:  Silhouette
• Etc:  black Micron pen

*Celebrate*

By now, I think you've noticed that I make a lot of birthday cards.  The reasoning is that these are the cards I send off most often.  I've been trying to send cards for no reason a little more often as well, sending a little sunshine to friends and family when we can't get together to visit.  Who doesn't like getting something fun in the mail?

This card is definitely NOT clean and simple....but I think it's fun!

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Catherine Pooler Party Fans

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Charming Pink, Purple Delight, Verdant

*Dies:  My Favorite Things Celebrate

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Studio Katia