*Addicted to CAS #192*

Vicki D is the host for the next Addicted to CAS challenge!  For the next two weeks, please share with your clean and simple cards using the code word ANIMAL for your chance to be a guest designer in an upcoming challenge.  Today, we have Jen Mitchell joining as our guest designer.

I have some animal stamps, but you all know how I feel about colouring.... and while I was sitting and thinking about what I wanted to create, I got word that friends of ours had to put down their beloved dog, Traxie.  That made my decision for me... I'd make a sympathy card for them.

I wanted to create a bit of a rainbow to lend to the idea of the Rainbow Bridge... but I didn't want to overpower the card since this was supposed to be clean and simple.  The card did end up a little more busy than I had hoped, but I think they will like it.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb

*Images:  Stampin' Up! Sorry for Everything; My Favorite Things New Best Friend

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Morning Mist and Nocturne; Catherine Pooler Rose Petals, Shea Butter, Stone Blue and Sage

*Stencils:   Paper Rose Bubbles

*Tools:  Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes; Purple Tape

*Etc:  foam tape

*Stencils*

 I honestly didn't think I'd ever "get in to" stencils... when I first started seeing them it was a lot more mixed media stuff and it wasn't my style.  I don't know what changed (probably me) but I have found myself gravitating towards stencils when I'm shopping.  To the point of wandering around a trendy shopping area in Calgary on the weekend and stopping in front of the art store because of all the stencils they had hanging in the window display.  

Today, the Scrap 'n Stamp Canada Random Acts of Cardness prompt is Stencils... and since I put an "s" on the end of my prompt word, I decided I should use more than one stencil.  I used two LOL!

I wish I had taken photos of the process, but honestly, I was in the creative zone and didn't even think of it.

I started out with the smaller white panel for the front of my card.  I used a Taylored Expressions Masking Stencil and some inks and blending brushes to create the centre panel.  I set it aside to dry for about a half hour before carrying on with the card because I didn't want to work on top of the colours if they were still wet.  I then adhered a patterned stencil on top and using Purple, masked off everything except that colour rectangle.  I put a layer of Glimmer Paste over top and once again, set it aside for about an hour so that it would fully dry. 

The rest of the card came together easily using my Layers Guide to create that great 1/16" mat behind the front panel.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White; Lawn Fawn Sugarplum

*Images:  Avery Elle Loads of Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Inks Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet

*Stencils:  Taylored Expressions Rectangle Masking Stencil; Paper Rose Big Drops

*Tools:  Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes; Layers Guide

*Etc:  Moonstone Nuvo Glimmer Paste; Purple Tape

*Hooray It's Your Day!*

 I've been busy working on Christmas cards for the last week or so but I have a few more non-Christmas cards to share with you first.  I LOVE making Christmas cards and I usually leave making them until this time of the year instead of making them all year round.  Maybe in my world, it makes it all feel a little more special?  I have stamps and dies and papers for Christmas than any other occasion!

But for now, you get a non-Christmas card.  In fact, I think I might post a little more often this week so I can get these cards out of the way and get on to the holiday good stuff LOL!

I really like this card... except for one thing... the foam adhesive I used is WAY too thick so the floral die cut image really stands up off of the card.  I really prefer the Stampin' Up! dimensionals to whatever this was in my stash.

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Hammermill Premium Color Copy Cover 100lb; Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Paper Rose Daisy Bouquet; Studio Katia It's Your Birthay

*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Copics

*Dies:  Paper Rose Daisy Bouquet

*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Perfect Layers

*Etc:  Nuvo Shimmer Pen

*Cheers*

 Have you ever absolutely LOVED a card when you made it and then, a few weeks later, you look at it and wonder what it was that made you love it?  That's me with this card.  I loved how the Glimmer Paste looked on this card when I made it.  But now, I look at this card and wonder what I thought was so wonderful about it.  It's not a "bad" card, but it's no longer catching my eye.  I just don't love it the way I did when I put it together.

*AAA#172*

 Happy Sunday!  It's time for another clean and simple challenge with the team from AAACards!  Our sponsor for this challenge is Joy Clair... you could win $25 to spend on stamps or digital images!  Our guest designer is Coni... please be sure to check out her blog!  I also invite you to visit the AAACards blog to see what the rest of the design team came up with!

I had to borrow some stamps from my good friend Bonnie for this challenge.  I have a few other hobbies but not one stamp to go with them!

Since it's a one layer card, I couldn't colour with my Copics since they would have bled through to the inside of the card, so I decided to play with coloured pencils (we call them pencil crayons in Canada).  I haven't coloured with them in ages!!!  I did a little blending on some pieces but I left the books a little grainy looking.

One thing I did that I am glad I thought of, was I left the stamp in my Misti while I coloured this image... I then went back and stamped it again to make the black lines really pop, especially in those spots where the coloured pencils went over the stamped lines.

Items Used:

• Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake
• Images:  Catherine Pooler Book & Film; Paper Rose Gnomies
• Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
• Etc:  coloured pencils
• Tools:  Misti

We look forward to seeing what you create!  Link up your creation (from a blog, Flicker or even Instagram) for your chance to win the prize from Joy Clair and to be a guest designer for an upoming challenge!

*CASology#372*

Welcome to another month-long challenge with the team at CASology!  We are all about the clean and simple cards!  We will be back to challenges every two weeks in September, but for the summer we're taking a little easier and only doing one per month.

For this month, we want to see what you create using the cue of "ball"...  lots of ideas out there really, but not a lot I had stamps for LOL!  Balls, games, fancy dress (ballgown), having fun.... Please share your creations with us on the CASology Blog for your chance to win a prize from STAMPlorations!

I decided to play with a new stencil for this challenge... they are circles, not quite true "balls", but you get the idea.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb, Stampin' Up! Highland Heather
*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips
*Ink:  Versafine Claire Nocturne; Catherine Pooler It's a Boy and Sweet Sixteen
*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips and Simple Strips Backer
*Tools:  Paper Rose Bubbles Stencil; Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes
*Embellishments:  Nuvo Glimmer Paste in Moonstone
*Etc:  foam tape

*So Grateful*

I just love this stamp from Paper Rose...  maybe it's because I just love Gerber Daisies? 

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Pretty in Pink
*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips; Paper Rose Daisy Bouquet
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Copics
*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer
*Embellishments:  Honey Bee Prism Gems