CASology #115: CHOCOLATE

Hello, friends!  I dare say that this may be one of our best cue cards ever at CASology!

This week we are sponsored by Create A Smile.  They have the cutest stamp sets in their shop HERE, and there are some super cute free digital images available (along with lots of inspiration) at their blog HERE.  Be sure to check out the CASology blog for all the details!

I played along with two Create A Smile free digis, paired up with some Inkadinkado stamps (from the "Birthday Cupcake" set).  Nothing says chocolate to me like chocolate cupcakes!

I added Glossy Accents to the eyes and black Enamel Accents to the pupils.  

Can you see them?

While I was at it, I made another card using a free digi image and sentiment from Create A Smile...isn't this monster the cutest thing?  I added white Enamel Accents to the monster for interest and texture.

Be sure to link up your CHOCOLATE card by noon on Monday (Central time). You will also be inspired by the many ways our Design Team and Guest Designer interpreted the cue this week...be sure to check out their blogs, too!

Melissa Chipperfield
Judy Marino --> that's me!

Meghan McMillan

Tracey McNeely
Joyce Mehrberg

(May Sukyong Park is taking a break)

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Kimberly Wiener

Jen Wills

Guest Designer: Bobby

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

12 Kits of Occasions Revisited!

Hello, friends!  I was so excited to receive an invitation from Renee to make another card using my 12 Kits of Occasions left-overs from last February!  I've been hoarding them holding onto them with the hopes of playing with them again...and here's my chance!  (You can see the original post when I was a guest designer HERE.)

I was inspired by Cathy's snow globe card:

And here is what I came up with this time around:

I had fun with lots of silver Perfect Pearls Mists and Stickles to add sparkle to this snowy scene!

Be sure to stop by the 12 Kits of Occasions blog to see what the other designers did with their left-overs!

Thanks for stopping by...be sure to stop by later this morning for my new CASology cue card and post for the week!
Judy

Coffee Lover's Blog Hop!

Hello, friends!  Happy National Coffee Day!  (Best. Day. Ever.  Just sayin.')

I'm here today to take part in the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop sponsored by Chaitali.  Can I just say, I think this is BRILLIANT?!?!

Not only will there be lots of amazing coffee-themed cards (as if that is not awesome enough), there will also be prizes!  Prizes, people!  Not only will there be flash giveaways (see details HERE), but random winners from the hop participants will win coffee-themed goodies from these amazing sponsors (you can see exact prize offerings at Chaitali's blog):

So, here's a little bit of MY coffee history.

I started drinking coffee when I was a senior in college.  It was more like chocolate milk...a flavored coffee powder that came in a cute little tin (see below).  My first coffee pot was a wedding gift in 1995...a Farberware percolator!  (Loved that pot!) Now I drink Maxwell House brand coffee -- it is my all time favorite.  I'd rather make my own coffee and bring it with me in a travel mug than spend money on big-name coffees at local shops.  I love my Maxwell House!  I need my coffee in the morning to get started, and again at 3PM to make it through the second shift of the day.  I do like lots of milk in there...and sugar, too.

                 

My card features stamps from the Precious Remembrance Shop called "Coffee Love."  I adore this set! I paper-pieced my card using papers from Pebbles "Front Porch" paper pad.

So, be sure to check out the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop and play along for your chance to win some cool coffee-themed prizes!  If you need some inspiration, check out my Pinterest board dedicated to coffee cards (yes, I love coffee that much).

I'm also linking my card to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes. 

Thanks for stopping by...now I'm off to grab a cup of coffee and check out some other blog hop cards!  What a fun day we have ahead of us! :)

Judy

Coffee Lovers Unite....

Hello, friends!  I am just stopping by to let you know about a wonderful blog hop scheduled for this coming Monday...in honor of National Coffee Day on September 29th!

Yes, it's a Coffee Lovers Blog Hop...and the details can be found HERE (at Chaitali's blog, "Cuts, Crops & Creativity").  There will be prizes...and lots of inspiration, too!

I'll be there, coffee in hand.  Hope to see you there, too!
Judy

Autumn Wishes

Hello, friends!  I can't believe how CRAZY busy my life has been since school and work started up again in early September...I am on the go for hours after work just getting everyone where they need to be and then picking them up again.  It's all good...just very VERY busy!

So, you can bet I was thrilled when I could steal a free second in between activities to play with some new stamps from Precious Remembrance Shop.  Have you seen the new set called "Fall Colors?"  Such pretty leaves in this set!  I couldn't wait to play with them!

I stamped a one-layer card using a variety of Hero Arts mid-tone inks and Tim Holtz distress inks.  I also spritzed the card with gold Perfect Pearls Mist for some fall sparkle.  (Doesn't that add so much without adding any bulk?  Love that!)

I'm linking this up to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is "Anything Goes."

OK, I'm out of time...off to pick up my two high school freshmen from their sports so they can eat dinner and go back for pep band (there's a home football game tonight)!

Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

CASology #114: FLUTTER

Hello, friends!  Tuesday is here, and so is a new cue card from CASology!

This week we are sponsored by Add a Little Dazzle.  I am still enjoying the metallic papers they sent the Design Team, and I hope you have had a chance to get your hands on some.  They are fantastic!  They are so beautiful when they are embossed and/or die cut...two techniques I love!  Be sure to check out the CASology blog for all the sponsor details this week.

When I think of the word "flutter," I think of birds or butterflies fluttering their wings, or a person fluttering their eyelashes at another person.  Picture an open window and the curtains fluttering in the breeze.  Imagine the fluttering of falling leaves.  To flutter can also mean to move about aimlessly or in an agitated manner, as you might flutter about your house looking for lost keys or cleaning up when you see unannounced visitors pull into your driveway.  What does "flutter" bring to mind for you?

In the end, I went with a bird on a branch using the pretty Add a Little Dazzle metallic papers I have in my stash (this time blue and black).  The sentiment and woodgrain background are favorite stamps from Hero Arts.

Be sure to link up your FLUTTER card by noon on Monday (Central time). You will definitely want to check out the creative ways our Design Team and Guest Designer interpreted the cue this week!

Melissa Chipperfield
Judy Marino --> that's me!

Meghan McMillan

Tracey McNeely
Joyce Mehrberg

(May Sukyong Park is taking a break)

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Kimberly Wiener

Jen Wills

Guest Designer: Karren

As always, thanks for visiting!

Judy

Catered Crop: Good Medicine

Hello, friends!  I am happy to stop by today with a card I made for the current Catered Crop: Good Medicine Recipe Swap.  I have never played along at Catered Crop before, so I am excited to be able to join in the fun for the first time!  This challenge calls for us to make a little "good medicine" -- a get well card or care package.

“I don’t feel very much like Pooh today,” said Pooh.
“There there,” said Piglet. “I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do.”
~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

I decided to make a one-layer get well card using some of my favorite Papertrey Ink stamp sets (including Mehndi Medallions and Think Big Favorites #6).  I used Hero Arts mid-tone Pool shadow ink and light blue Stickles for a little bit of sparkle on the medallions.

Have you seen the inspiration for this challenge at the Catered Crop blog?  They even provide a Pinterest board of "get well" card ideas!  (Brilliant!)  I'm off to check out some of the entries there and leave some love.

Thanks for stopping by...have a great day!

Judy

Another CASology Card: GRASS

Hello, friends!  Just stopping by to share another card I made for the current CASology challenge in which the cue card is GRASS.

This time I was able to play with my Hero Arts "Silhouette Grass" stamp, but I only used a portion of it in order to keep my card design clean and simple.  I embossed the entire image in white onto watercolor paper, then used Tim Holtz distress inks and water to paint the background sky.  I cut it down into two sections and mounted one on black card stock, then adhered to the card.  The sentiment is from Jane's Doodles "Blessings Sentiments."

I hope you get a chance to play along at CASology this week!
Thanks for stopping by to visit!
Judy

CASology #113: GRASS

Hello, friends! It's time for another cue at CASology!  This week we are sponsored by STAMPlorations...be sure to check out the CASology blog for all the details!

I saw the cue this week and immediately thought of the grass soccer fields we spend SO much of our time on for our two sons...both boys play on travel soccer teams and play in both fall and spring, so we spend a lot of time sitting on the sidelines of grass soccer fields cheering their teams on.

Because they are so involved in soccer, we tend to give a lot of thank you notes to their soccer coaches at the end of each season.  I figured this was a good time to get a head start on a thank you note!  

I dry embossed the clouds with an embossing folder by Darice and cut the grass with a Martha Stewart grass border punch on patterned paper.  The sentiment and die are from Simon Says Stamp, while the soccer ball is from a Studio 112 $1 stamp set.  The "thanks" is green felt which I glued onto card stock for stability before I die cut it out.  I used Hero Arts Grass Chalk Ink for the stamped sentiment.

I have a few other ideas for "grass," so I may be back later in the week with another card if I can swing it!

I hope you will play along with us this week!  Be sure to link up your GRASS card by noon on Monday (Central time). You will love the many ways our Design Team and Guest Designer interpreted the cue this week...be sure to check out their blogs for more creative inspiration!

Melissa Chipperfield
Judy Marino --> that's me!

Meghan McMillan

Tracey McNeely
Joyce Mehrberg

May Sukyong Park

Ardyth Percy-Robb

(Gillian Ross is taking a break this week)

Kimberly Wiener

Jen Wills

Guest Designer: Hyo jin

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

Happy Birthday, Bev!

Hello, friends!

I am so happy to be here today to share a birthday card for the amazing Bev of Happy Dance!   She is a lovely person and an amazing card artist to top to all off!  Bev has always been generous in her lovely comments on my blog, and I appreciate her positivity more than she will probably ever know!  Even the name of her blog exudes positivity...as she says on her blog, "Well there are just so many good things in life that I choose to celebrate them. What better way to celebrate even the smallest joy than to do a happy dance?!"  Best attitude ever.  I love it!

Anyway, I am proud to be participating in a surprise birthday card link party for Bev that can be found at Ardyth's blog HERE.  Darnell and Ardyth organized this surprise celebration in honor of Bev, and it was so wonderful to see how quickly and ardently everyone wanted to join in to honor her on her birthday.  She is one special lady!

I know my card style is typically clean and simple, but sometimes I break out of my shell and try some layers.  Knowing that Bev has eight grown children and twenty grandchildren, I imagine she has seen many scenes like this outside her window!

Since I used my Spellbinder's window die for the first time ever, I'm entering this card into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #2.

If you'd like to add a birthday card or send some birthday wishes to Bev, be sure to link your card HERE or visit Bev's blog HERE.  You'll be so glad you did!

Happy Birthday to you, Bev...and best wishes for many happy years to come!  Your card is "en route"...hope you like it!

Take good care,
Judy

CASology #112: THREE

Hello, friends!  Another Tuesday has arrived, and you know what that means! A new cue word from CASology!  Ready?  One...two...

This week we are sponsored by Craft Classes Online so be sure to check out the CASology blog for all the details.

When I saw the cue, I thought of tons of ideas!  Sayings such as, "Three's a crowd," and, "Three strikes and you're out."  Three-leaf clovers.  Three berries on a holly branch.  Tricycles.  Three years old.  Triplets.  The Three Stooges.  I also thought of the religious significance that the number three plays in my Christian faith -- the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday), the Resurrection on the third day, the Trinity (the three persons in one God), the three wise men, the popular Scripture reading from 1 Corinthians regarding faith, hope and love:

After all that, I still went with three images.  How unoriginal, right?  However, I really need to start making some Halloween cards for all my little nephews and nieces (they love to get them), and these three trick-or-treaters needed to come out to play!

I stamped these Sweet Stamp Shop cuties and colored them with Copic markers, adding some gray shadows around each image for added depth.  This is an easy card to make and an easier card to mail...no bulk!  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

So, what does THREE mean to you?  Be sure to link up your card by noon on Monday (Central time). You will also be inspired by the many ways our Design Team and Guest Designer interpreted the cue this week...be sure to check out their blogs, too!

Melissa Chipperfield
Judy Marino --> that's me!

Meghan McMillan

Tracey McNeely
Joyce Mehrberg

May Sukyong Park

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Kimberly Wiener

Jen Wills

Guest Designer: Diana

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

A Unique Blog Hop!

Hello, friends!  I'm here today as part of a Unique Blog Hop and I'm so thrilled!  I was invited to participate by Melissa Chipperfield of Oh, Smudge!.  I have known Melissa throughout my time on the CASology Design Team (since January 2012) and I quickly realized that she is extremely kind, calm, thoughtful, and real.  Melissa is the founder/creator/coordinator of CASology, and she is multi-talented in the world of card-making and photography.  Her style is definitely clean and simple with a flair for humor...and I love it!  Melissa describes herself as "a simplicity seeking, camera crazed crafter" on her blog, and she also happens to be the mother of four children, just like me.  I am thrilled that she asked me to participate today!

I was hoping to have a new card to share with you today but, alas, the craziness of going back to work and having four children return to school has robbed me of any crafting time this week.  :(   I'm hoping next week is better...but somehow I doubt it will be any less busy!

As part of the Unique Blog Hop, Melissa gave me a few questions to answer about myself.  Here it goes!

What are you currently working on? 
While I am primarily a card-maker, I am currently working on scrapbook layouts for my four children.  I started a scrapbook for each of them when they entered preschool, mainly because their class pictures were too large to put into a standard photo album.  Because I tend to be a bit obsessive-compulsive and have to finish what I start, I am now knee-deep in documenting all the activities they participate in each year.  Last school year was so busy that I am still trying to finish up...and yet a new year has already started!  (Ugh!)  I do use some basic stamps on my scrapbook pages, such as stitch lines and splatters...they make good fillers in open space!  Here is a very basic page I did for my daughter using some stamps by Precious Remembrance Shop:

How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I think my work is eclectic...while I prefer clean and simple and generally tend to stick to minimal layers, I have also been known to load up layers of paper and use buttons, Prima flowers, pearls, and even sometimes lace on a card!  

What inspires your work?
I have several sources of inspiration.  Other cards made by artists I admire (and give credit to if I CASE their cards).  Pinterest boards.  Catalogs and magazine ads.  (Why is it I can't look at a bed spread pattern and think of how I could make it into a card?)  I love looking at catalogs that sell cards because I often think, "Oh, I could make that with my _ _ _ stamp!"  Inspiration is all around us!

How does your creative process work?
I don't know, it honestly just happens!  I see something, I get an idea, I go make it.  As I mentioned earlier, I don't have tons of free time for crafting, so I have to move when I get an idea!  It is usually late at night, when all the other activities for the day are done.       

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And that about does it for me!  Now I have the honor of introducing you to another designer, one you are bound to know and love...the amazingly talented Shelly Kurth of Sweet Greetings!  Shelly is as sweet as her cards...she is also a multi-talented lady on several design teams (including Poppy Sketches, CAS on Sunday, and SRM Challenge) and a mother of four children!  I was immediately drawn to her clean and simple style and I have been a fan of her work since I discovered her among the Stamping Royalty Winners in 2011.   Go check out her blog HERE!    

As always, thanks for stopping by!
Judy

CASology #111: UNDER

Hello, friends!  It is Tuesday, and that brings us a new cue card at CASology!  This week we are sponsored by the lovely Cindy Coutts, so be sure to check out the CASology blog for all the details.

Well, this cue came at the right time.  At this point in time I am "under the wire" finishing any summer projects I had left (I return to work today), and I am "under pressure" to have the kids' school supplies ready to go for the first day of school tomorrow!  I can't believe my two oldest children will be going off to high school...and for the first time ever I will have children taking a bus!  (A very early bus, I might add...yikes!)  At least none of us is feeling "under the weather," right?  So many ways to go with this cue!

Despite all those ideas using the cue word, I went with a more literal interpretation.  I used an awesome digi from Jacki Rockwell's "Rockin' Digis" that included the sentiment under the image in the same shape...I love it and had to paper-piece it!

I printed the digi image directly onto the light green card, then again onto pink and green patterned papers.  I fussy cut, glued together, and done!  Lots of open space, one main image, no embellishments.  Clean and simple!

Since I paper-pieced the watermelon, I'm adding this to the current Viginia's View Challenge #7: Pattern Paper.  I love to paper-piece images!

Be sure to link up your card by noon on Monday (Central time). You will also be inspired by the many ways our Design Team and Guest Designers interpreted the cue this week...be sure to check out their blogs, too!

Melissa Chipperfield
Judy Marino --> that's me!

Meghan McMillan

(Tracey McNeely -- taking a break this week)
Joyce Mehrberg

May Sukyong Park

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Kimberly Wiener

Jen Wills

Guest Designers: Hazel and Sindhu

Thanks for visiting,

Judy