CASology #200: CAS

Hello, friends!  I am so excited to be here today as we celebrate our 200th challenge at CASology this week!  What better cue card than the acronym that started it all...CAS!

To add to the fun this week, several members of the CASology Design Team will be offering blog candy...including me!  Each DT member who is participating will select a random commenter from their blog who also linked up a card at CASology.  Winners will be announced on each Design Team member's blog as well as the CASology blog next Tuesday.  So be sure to visit the Design Team members this week, leave comments, AND play along at CASology!

As my blog candy to celebrate 200 challenges at CASology, I will be offering these goodies as a prize to one lucky participant:

As a reminder, here are some points to keep in mind when you are creating a card in the CAS (Clean And Simple) style:

1. One main image
2. Lots of open space--uncluttered
3. Limited layers and embellishments
4. Quick and easy to recreate (note--it may take a long time to get a design you like, but once you have that design, making more should be a piece of cake)

OK, now to my card!  I pulled out some retired Hero Arts wildflower stamps and inked them up with LePlume markers, stamped in a masked off circle, then added distress inks around the border of the circle before removing the mask.  The sentiment is from Jillibean Soup ("Handwritten Sentiments"). This card was so quick and easy to make!  

OK, now it's your turn! Remember to leave a comment here AND link up a card at CASology by noon on Monday for a chance to win my blog candy!  Check out the Design Team blogs for more inspiration...and be sure to visit our guest designer this week, too!

Ardyth Percy-Robb
Deidre Payne

Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino --> that's me!
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Sherrie Mannion
Tracey McNeely

Guest Designer: Diana

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes!

Hello, friends!  It is Memorial Day weekend here in the US, so I was able to find some time for a little crafting in between yard work, laundry, parties and driving the kids to their festivities!

Today I'm sharing a card I made for the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes.  They are showcasing Technique Tuesday products and I used a butterfly image from the "Take Flight" mini set.

For my card, I paired a My Favorite Things sentiment and die with some pretty floral patterned paper and the butterfly from Technique Tuesday.  I stamped the butterfly twice...once on the sentiment panel and once on a separate paper that I colored and fussy cut.  I bent the butterfly wings and only adhered the body to the card so it would look like it was in motion.

(I channeled my "inner Kathy Racoosin" and added white dots to the butterfly wings with a white gel pen!) 

Thank you for stopping by...have a great weekend!
Judy

CASology #199: FAST

Hello, friends!  We are gearing up for a FAST week at CASology!

So many ways to go with this cue!  I really wanted to make a thank you card for my son's track coach as their season comes to an end this week, but I didn't have any stamps that fit the theme.  I went with my next idea...a get well card with wishes for a speedy recovery!

I stamped this fun Art Impressions image (from the "Get Well" set available at Michael's) and grounded her using a shadow stamp from Paper Smooches ("Shadows" set).  I colored her with Copics, and done.  A fast card, for sure!

While I'm at it, I'm linking this card up at the current Art Impressions Challenge #184: Laughing WITH You.  That's my kind of card challenge...I do love a good laugh!

Be sure to link up your FAST card by noon on Monday (Central time). Be sure to check out the blogs of our Design Team and Guest Designer for more inspiration!

Ardyth Percy-Robb
Deidre Payne

Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino --> that's me!
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Sherrie Mannion
Tracey McNeely

Guest Designer: Coni

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #45

Hello, friends!  I'm stopping in to share a clean and simple card I made for the current Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #45: "Anything Goes."  

I really get a kick out of the animals in the "Birthday Farm Animals" set, so I decided to die cut and stamp this fun birthday pig.  I popped him up next to the "Happy Birthday Wafer Die" done in several layers of black card stock.  (I embossed the card base with a linen embossing plate before popping up the pig...and I added lots of Wink of Stella to the balloon, both hard to see.)

I'm always happy when the SSS Flickr Challenge does an "Anything Goes" theme...that way I can play with some of my favorite SSS stamps and dies with no restrictions!

Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

CASology #198: STENCIL

Hello, friends!  It's time for our next CASology cue card!

OK, I have to admit, I did not own any stencils until very recently.  Well, technically that is not really true...I have some old brass stencils from way back when I dry embossed cards using my light box (did anyone out there ever do that?).  I've also paint stenciled a few borders in my house.  But in regard to card-making, I also have to admit that I have not used stencils for cards in a very long time.

Until this week!  (That's what I love about these challenges...sometimes they REALLY do challenge you!)

This week we are sponsored by STAMPlorations, and so I used one of their stencils for my card.  (Have you seen their collection of stencils?  They have some really nice ones!  You can check them out here.)  I used the "Happy Flowers" stencil and the "Noteworthy" clear stamp set, and I kept my one-layer card pretty simple by spraying the stencil with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls mist.

In the right light, you can really see the shine of the Perfect Pearls mist!

I am sure most of you have a variety of stencils on your stash...I think the real challenge will be to keep your designs clean and simple this week.  I can't wait to see what you create!

I'm going to play along with the May monthly challenge at STAMPlorations Challenge Blog where "Anything CAS Goes."  (There is an optional color twist - magenta -  but I didn't do that.)  I might as well link up to the STAMPlorations Never-Ending Anything Goes Challenge, too!

Be sure to link up your STENCIL 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!

Ardyth Percy-Robb
Deidre Payne

Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino --> that's me!
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Sherrie Mannion
Tracey McNeely

Guest Designer: Shelly

Our Sponsor This Week:  STAMPlorations

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

From the Heart Sketch #151: Hello

Helo, friends!  I am so happy to be able to sneak in today amidst the crazy business of a sunny Saturday with a card I made for the current I {heart} Sketches with a tWist #151 at From the Heart Stamps.  I followed the sketch pretty closely and used a handwritten sentiment (although not my handwriting!).

   
For my card, I used the adorable From the Heart freebie called "Bee Happy Birdbrain" and I paired it with a "hello" sentiment from Precious Remembrance Shop.  The background flower pattern is an old Hero Arts cling stamp.

I first saw these adorable birdbrain images at Lisa Lara's blog (she is quickly becoming one of my favorite bloggers...you can check her out HERE).  When I saw a freebie was available, I thought I'd give it a try!  I think I'm hooked...I see some serious shopping in my future.  (Uh oh...)

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
Judy

Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #9 and GSD Share Your Designs #21

Hello, friends!  I'm happy to be here again today to share a card I made for two challenges. (For my CASology post, click HERE.)

First, I'm playing at the current Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #9 using three elements in a row...I used "Masking Technique-Sponging-Things That Fly."

Next up, I'm entering this card in the current Share Your Designs Challenge #21 at Gerda Steiner Designs.  I used the new release sets (Alien Invasion and Blast Off) and had lots of fun stamping, masking, sponging distress inks, and making a fun little scene!

As usual, I added Glossy Accents to the dome of the space ships for some added interest.

I used a variety of coloring techniques on this card and, while it was a little more "labor-intensive" than I am used to, it was quite relaxing and fun.  I first stamped the images and masked them.  I sponged on a variety of distress inks to make the sky, keeping a brighter area for the sentiment.  I then took a watercolor brush and flicked on some splatters of purple paint.  Finally, I added a few white "stars" with a gel pen.  I then unmasked the images, colored the aliens and the planet with Copics, but watercolored the space ships and inner domes.  I added some white liquid pearls to the ships and a touch of yellow to suggest lights underneath.  I think this card may be heading to my nephew again!

As always, thanks for stopping by!
Judy

CASology #197: TEAR

Hello, friends!  I'm here today with our next cue card from CASology.

OK, so this cue can be interpreted in several ways.  "Tear" can be a verb, as in to rip. Or "tear" can be a noun, as in a tear drop shed when you cry.  I went with the noun and made a clean and simple sympathy card.

I simply colored in the flower stamp with LePlume markers, spritzed with water, and stamped.  I added the sentiment in black dye ink on top of the flower once it had dried.

Supplies:

Hero Arts "A Real Flower Drooping"

My Sentiments Exactly "Sympathy Sentiments"

Sizzix Stampin' Up Framed Tulips embossing folder

LePlume markers, water spritzer, watercolor card stock

I can't wait to see how you interpret TEAR this week.  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!

Ardyth Percy-Robb
Deidre Payne

Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino --> that's me!
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Sherrie Mannion
Tracey McNeely

Guest Designer: Marilyn

Our NEW Sponsor This Week:  Right at Home
(Thanks for sponsoring our challenge this week!)

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

GSD Monthly Challenge

Hello, friends!  Happy Mother's Day to my blogger friends who are celebrating today!  I'm stopping by to share a card I made for the Monthly Challenge at Gerda Steiner Designs using the sweet image "Mouse with the Drink."  If you purchase this image this month, you will receive the image for next month's challenge for free!

For my card, I printed the image and added my own computer-generated sentiment below.  I colored it with Copic markers, and added Wink of Stella to the glass of lemonade for some sparkle.  (Of course you can't see it...that's the way it is when trying to photograph Wink of Stella!)  I added Glossy Accents to the nose and little white accents with a white gel pen for the finishing touches.

Sorry for the quick post today...we're in between Mother's Day soccer games!
Have a great day,
Judy

Precious Remembrance Shop {Inspire Me Friday}

Hello, friends!  Just a heads up that today I'm sharing my final card for the "Happy Art" release over at the Precious Remembrance Shop blog.

I hope you'll go check out my next installment of {Inspire Me Friday} and the "thanks" card I'm sharing today!

Thanks for visiting,
Judy

CASology #196: MOVE

Hello, friends!  It's time to get moving at CASology this week!

Oh, boy, there are so many ways to go with this cue!  I immediately thought of the song "I Like to Move It, Move It" from the movie Madagascar.  Have you ever seen the movie?  The song is very catchy, makes you want to get up and move!  (You can see and hear it HERE if you are interested!)

In the end, I did not have a dancing lemur stamp, so I went in a different direction.

I have a colleague who just had a baby boy, and heaven knows that whole process involved a lot of movement!  I'm sure their good times are just getting started...and so my card for her and her little one.

I used a Papertrey Ink stamp set called "Baby Button Bits" and added a blue button with a floss knot bow for extra interest.

So, how does our cue card MOVE you this week?  Be sure to link up your card by noon on Monday, and visit our Design Team and Guest Designer for more inspiration!

Ardyth Percy-Robb
Deidre Payne

Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino --> that's me!
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Sherrie Mannion
Tracey McNeely

Guest Designer: Janet

Our Sponsor This Week:  Cindy B Designs

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

GSD Share Your Design Challenge #20 and Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #9

Hello, friends!  I am really having fun with this new stamp set by Gerda Steiner Designs and wanted to share another card for the current Share Your Designs Challenge!

I'm also playing along with the current Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #9 using the "birthday-sponging-white space" combination (the inside of the card says, "Happy Birthday, Human").

 

This time I made a one-layer card by doing lots of masking. Simple coloring with Copics, a few added white dots for fun...and done!

Stamps Used:

Gerda Steiner Designs: "Blast Off" and "Alien Invasion"

Just a quick post for today...thanks for stopping by!
Judy