*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

*AAACards #183*

 Hello Crafty Friends.... it's time for another clean and simple challenge with the team at AAACards!  You know we love to see your clean and simple card!  Be sure to visit the blog and share your clean and simple cards with us!  

Our guest designer for game #183 is Chrissie... please go leave her some love on her blog!

I sort of created a scene with my card....  if you stretch it just a bit LOL!

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb

*Images:  Studio Katia Birthday Greetings
*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Pixie Dust, Serenade, Pucker Up; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Stencils:  Echo Park Firework Show

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes

*Etc:  Purple Tape

*Embellishments:  Honey Bee Prism Gems

Wondering about that hot pink layer?  I swiped my Catherine Pooler ink pad along my cardstock to create a custom colour that matched!

Now it's your turn!  Create a clean and simple card that uses only one corner with the option of creating a scene and share it with us on the AAACards blog!  You could win a spot as a Guest Designer in an upcoming challenge!

*Addicted to CAS #190*

Welcome to another week with the team at Addicted to CAS!  Join the design team and our guest designer Milka in creating a clean and simple card using the code word "pattern".  Link up your creation for your chance to be a guest designer in an upcoming challenge!

I had a few ideas dancing in my head but I decided to play with the new Catherine Pooler colour wheel download and the new colours that I just bought and grabbed out one of my Concord & 9th Turnabout stamps.

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Hammermill Premium Color Copy Cover 100lb

*Images:  Concord & 9th Bitty Burst Turnabout; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips

*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Fiesta Blue, Something Borrowed, Seranade, Pixie Dust; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer

*Tools:  Big Shot; Misti

*CAS#381*

It's a New Year and time for the CASology Design Team to get back to work with our bi-weekly clean and simple challenges!  

Being a new year, and a time for reflection, our cue word for the next two weeks is Memories.  My favourite part of these challenges is that the words are open for interpretation however you see fit.. here's my story.

I honestly didn't know what to do with this prompt.  I don't have anything vintage, I don't scrapbook, I couldn't think of anything.... but one idea kept popping in to my head.  My Mom.  My Mom is the reason I make cards.  It's a long story that I've shared before that I'll summarize here... My Mom did almost every craft known to man over the years.  The only one I was interested in for a long time was cross stitch.  I went to visit in November of 1996 and she got me hooked on stamping ("here, try heat embossing!").  We would spend our time together (we lived about a 7 hour drive away from each other) making cards, sharing ideas and techniques.  She was diagnosed with cancer in February 2010 and given a short timeline so I had her teach me how to crochet (which I still enjoy).

My Mom was the Queen of Details... she LOVED any craft that was "finickey".... any one that took time.  While she started card making with stamping, she moved on to other ways to create cards.  One of those was stitching on cards.  She had books and books of patterns, patterns downloaded from the internet.  I did it for a while too (it's a lot like cross stitch), but I went a different direction (clean and simple) and left the card stitching behind.

But could I create a clean and simple card with stitching?

So I did a google search and found a pattern on CraftWithSarah.com and decided to give it a try...

I love that the first card I completed in 2021 has a piece of my Mom in it....

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Gumball Green

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer

*tools:  pattern printed on copy paper; paper piercing tool (I use one for Pergamano); purple tape; Big Shot; needle

*etc:  DNC embroidery floss

Be sure to link up your creation using this prompt for your chance to be a guest designer in an upcoming challenge!  Just head on over to the blog to see what the rest of the design team has come up with and to share your creation with us!

*Quick and Easy Joyous Holiday*

 I swear, I'm almost done with the Christmas cards!  Another one created to use up some patterned paper.. not honestly sure how I feel about it  I feel like it's missing something.

Items Used:

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

*Patterned Paper:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backers; Spellbinders cirlces

*Tools:  Gemini Jr

*Dark Christmas Lights*

I saw a card like this on my internet travels and knew I wanted to try the idea of the black panel with the sparkly lights.  I embossed the string of lights stamps with gold embossing powder before adding dies of the lights cut out of glitter paper.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black; gold

*Images:  My Favorite Things Party Lights; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Ink:  VersaMark; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  My Favorite Things Party Lights; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips & Simple Strips Backer

*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Perfect Layers; heat tool

*Embellishments:  Glossy Accents; gold detail embossing powder

*Merry Christmas!*

 Just a quick post from me today as I am spending the day in my jammies, watching movies and playing games with the family.  We had fun opening presents this morning and just finished off a wonderful Christmas brunch.  We will have some toasted turkey sandwiches for supper later.  A quiet day, enjoying our time as a family.  I am a lucky woman!

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Cherry Cobber, Pumpkin Pie

*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up!

*Dies:  My Favorite Things Filled With Joy

*Ink:  Catherine Pooler It's A Boy

*Tools:  Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes; Gemini Jr

*Embellishments:  black Kaiser Pearls; Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen

*Sparkle Christmas Light*

Do you want to know what I hate most about blogging?  It's coming up with titles for the posts.  I used to just number my Christmas cards as post names over the years but this year I've been naming them all.  I hate naming my posts.  Maybe in the New Year I'll just make the title the date of the post.  

Anyway...  it's been exciting to me over the last few years that the different companies have come out with some wonderful Christmas light dies, punches and images.  Christmas lights are one of my favourite parts of Christmas.

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, glitter paper

*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up!

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips & Simple Strips Backer; Impression Obsession Traditional Lights

*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Star Ornament*

 This card was created using some scraps that were sitting on my desk.  With things like my glitter cardstock, I don't want to waste anything.  It's not like I can't get more, it's just so dang pretty!  The only thing on the front of this card that wasn't a scrap was the red bow die cut.  Everything else was already cut and ready to go.

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler; silver and red glitter cardstock

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  My Favorite Things Filled With Joy; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips & Simple Strips Backer

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Gemini Jr

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Season Sparkle*

This Memory Box star die is such a joy to use.  Not only is it beautiful, it cuts like a hot knife through butter!  I need to branch out a little as I've only ever cut it out of silver foil cardstock.... but it looks SO beautiful done this way!  I've been loving the silver with red accents this holiday season so you'll see it quite a few times in my creations.

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler; silver mirro

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer; Memory Box Chandele Star

*Tools:  Gemini Jr

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*CASology#380*

Welcome to the last challenge of 2020 with the team at CASology.  We all hope you have enjoyed the 2020 cue words and we look forward to seeing you back in 2021 with your clean and simple cards!  I love this challenge because the cue is always open for you to interpret as you see fit.  Sometimes I find I really have to "think outside the box" to create my cards... this was not one of those times.  I LOVE snowmen!

Our sponsor for this challenge is Stamplorations...  link up your card HERE for your chance to win the prize from Stamplorations and to be invited to be a guest designer in an upcoming challenge.  You can link up via a blog post, Instagram, Flickr... we'd love to see what you create!

I will be the first to admit that my card isn't an clean and simple as it could be... so I went back and reimagined it.  You are getting two cards again!

This is card #1... and it just felt too busy to me...  and honestly, inspiration came while I was writing up my blog post!

Here is card #2.... so much more clean and simple... and still so cute!

I'm curious which one you like better!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110#; Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler and Balmy Blue; silver sparkle

*Images:  My Favorite Things Festive Friends; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Copics

*Dies:  My Favorite Things Festive Friends; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer; Poppy Stamps Snowscape

*Tools:  Gemini Jr

*Iconic Christmas Blog Hop*

Welcome to the December Blog Hop with Scrap 'n Stamp Canada!  This month the team is playing the with Iconic Christmas dies from Concord & 9th.  This is a great set of small Christmas dies... I hope you'll hop along to see what each member of the design team did with these dies!

Be sure to leave a comment at each stop on the hop to increase your chances of winning a $50 gift certificate from Scrap 'n Stamp!  You can also head over to Scrap 'n Stamp this weekend to shop select Christmas items at 25% off!

If you've been here before, you know I love snowflakes.  I was excited to see a snowflake in this die set... a simple one that could be cut out of a variety of papers.  For the hop, I decided to play with some holographic cardstock I had in my stash.  I cut a bunch of snowflakes and then started to play.  I created the first card and had some snowflakes left over so I decided to make another card as well!

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Gina K Black Onyx, Cranberry Tart; Lawn Fawn Holographic

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer

*Tools: Gemini Jr

*Etc:  glue

I loved the look of the holographic snowflakes on the black cardstock, but decided to try them on white as well.  I honestly don't know which one I like more!

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Lawn Fawn Holographic

*Images:  My Favorite Things Merry & Bright

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas

*Tools:  Gemini Jr

*Embellishments:  silver cord

Now, it's time for you to hop along with the rest of the design team.  Don't forget to leave comments at each stop (here too!) to increase your chances of winning that great prize from Scrap 'n Stamp!

Tara

Chala

Kia

Susan

Deborah

Nancy (you are here!)

*Inlaid Die Cuts*

Happy Monday!!  I'm back with another post for the Scrap 'n Stamp design team... following along with the Random Acts of Cardness prompts, today I am sharing a card I created using inlaid die cuts.  This is a fun technique that leaves you with a smooth card front, perfect for mailing (instead of a bulky card that could get damaged in the mail).  

I started out with a white panel cut to 3 7/8 X 5 1/8" and I used Purple Tape to adhere my dies to the panel so that the dies wouldn't move.  I cut out the bow, the ornament top and the word JOY from this first panel and then decided to cut the extra "O" image with the star centre out of a scrap of white cardstock and some of the elements out of silver sparkle paper as well.  I thought I was being super smart and kept all the pieces from the die cutting.... I threw out two important pieces... can you tell what they were from this photo?

I used some Gina K ink and my Taylored Expressions blending brushes to create an ombre look to the letters... I started at the bottom of each letter so that area would be the darkest part of each letter.  

Once I had all of my pieces ready, I took a piece of printer paper and covered it with Sookwang double sided adhesive.  I love the sookwang because it is super sticky and I can tear it instead of cut it!  I then laid my card panel face down on my workspace and put the printer paper on it, with the sticky side against the cardstock.  This gives me an easy way to attach my inlaid elements without making a mess with glue.

I put in each of the pieces... and this is when I realized I threw out the insides of the bow cut from the white cardstock, so I had to cut that part of the die again.  

Once I had all of the pieces attached, I flipped the piece over and burnished it all down from the back, making sure all of my elements were well adhered.  I then used my We R Memory Keepers Layers Guide to create a perfect 1/16" mat around my card front and added it all to a white card base.

I can't wait to see what you create... be sure to share it on the Scrap 'n Stamp Facebook page!

Items Used:

*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Gina K Blue Lagoon; silver sparkle

*Dies:  My Favorite Things Filled With Joy

*Ink:  Gina K Blue Lagoon

*Tools Gemini Jr; Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes

*Etc:  Be Creative Sookwang tape

*Joy*

Let me tell you, I think Stampin' Up! hit one out of the park with their Christmas release this year.  There are several stamp sets and dies that I fell in love with and had to buy... and I can see having them in my stash for many years to come.  This card uses two different sets from Stampin' Up! as well as some other items from my stash.

Items Used:

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

*Stencils:  Gina K Sassy Stripes

*Ink: Catherine Pooler Rockin' Red

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Sounds of the Season, Joy

*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes; Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Moonstone Nuvo Glimmer Paste

*Sparkly Holiday Wishes*

I don't know what it is about light blue and white at Christmas... but wow, do I like the combination.  I don't use it a lot for anything non-Christmas or non-winter.  And then you add some silver to it and wow!  But make that silver glitter and BOOM!

You'll notice I have a sparkly silver layer as a mat behind the front panel.  I am NOT stupid enough to waste that much glitter paper behind a front panel like this.  I cut a piece of silver a little bigger than I wanted it, used a smaller rectangle die to cut out the centre and adhered the white panel to the frame that was remaining and trimmed it up with my Perfect Layers.  You want to leave about 1/2" to 3/4" when you cut out the rectangle to create the frame to ensure you don't rip anything with your tape runner or your Perfect Layers.

Items Used

• Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; silver glitter; Stampin' Up! Balmy Blue
• Images:  MFT Merry & Bright
• Ink: Versamark
• Dies:  SSS Marie Snowflake, Lea Snowflake; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Backer
• Etc:  detail white embossing powder; foam tape
• Tools:  Gemini Jr; Perfect Layers, heat tool

*Bat! for Scrap 'n Stamp*

Today's prompt for Scrap 'n Stamp is Bat... and normally I'd say bats are pretty darn scary... but this morning we woke up to a few inches of snow on the ground and that is WAY more frightening! LOL!  We had a lovely October up until a few days ago when it got colder and windy.  This snow won't stay, but it's snow all the same.

I love this little bat die from Memory Box... the photo of my card just doesn't do it justice!  I created the background and the moon with Gina K inks and the Taylored Expressions blending brushes.  I took my time and built up the colours to create a darker night sky with what I had on hand.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White 110lb; Memory Box Frosted Glitter Paper Pad

*Dies:  Memory Box Cave Bat; Spellbinders circle

*Inks:  Gina K Tomato Soup, Wild Dandelion, Blue Denim, Wild Lilac

*Tools:  Gemini Jr; Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes

*Etc:  Lawn Fawn Liquid Stardust

*Foiled Floral Sympathy*

One more sympathy card for you... this foiled paper by Stampin' Up! is so great to leave on it's own or to colour up as I did a few weeks ago.  A very versatile product!

Items Used:

• Carstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
• Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up!
• Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips
• Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
• Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer
• Tools:  Perfect Layers

*More Sparkle*

Another day, another sparkly card.  I truly love this Nuvo Glimmer Paste.  The Moonstone is fabulous since you can use it on anything to create a custom colour.  You could even add colour to it to create something custom to play with.  I am on my third jar of this stuff (and I've used it all up instead of throwing it out because it dried up!).

Items Used:

• Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 100lb
• Images:  Studio Katia Birthday Greetings
• Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Gina K Turquoise Sea
• Stencil:  Wild Whisper Fanciful Blossom
• Tools:  Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes
• Embellishments:  Nuvo Glimmer Paste Moonstone
• Etc:  Purple Tape; ribbon from my stash

*Live Love Lavinia Blog Hop*

It's the first Friday of the month which means it is time for a new Blog Hop with the design team from Scrap 'n Stamp Canada!  This month we were all given some Lavinia Stamps to play with.  

Now, let's be honest...  while the Lavinia Stamps images are gorgeous, they are not my style.  I chose some stamps that I thought I could work with, but I still struggled a bit.  But in the end, I really like the card I came up with... and I'm pretty sure it will completely different than what the rest of the team created LOL!

Items Used:

• Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb; Gina K Black Onyx
• Images:  Lavinia Pink Orbs; Picket Fence Studios Good Vibes
• Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Versamark; Gina K Wild Dandelion and Bubblegum Pink
• Tools:  Perfect Layers; heat tool; Taylored Expressions Blending Brushes
• Embellishments:  bling from my stash
• Etc:  detail white embossing powder

I hope you'll play along with us... share your creations on the Scrap 'n Stamp Challenge Page... and be sure to leave comments at each stop along the way for your chance to win one of THREE prizes from Scrap 'n Stamp!  And, until Sunday at 11pm edt, all Lavinia Stamps are on sale at Scrap 'n Stamp!

Now, go check out what the rest of the team has created!!

• Tara
• Nancy (you are here!)
• Laura
• Deborah
• Kia
• Chala
• Susan