Let's Squash It! #22

 Hello everyone, today I'm guest designing for the Let's Squash It! Challenge #22 which is to "keep it CAS." while using any embossing folder.

I used an older SU! folder called Elegant Bouquet and enhanced it with some pastel Copic markers in yellow and green, dotting the flower centers with a brown Copic. The sentiment is by Sweet 'n Sassy from an older stamp set I've had for years.

If you're anything like me, I'm sure you have a good collection of embossing folders, and I hope you'll find some time to play along. I look forward to seeing your creations!

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day!

Carol

Sending Love

I used a Gerda Steiner image from the Fall Mice stamp set for this card and colored it with Copics before fussy cutting it. I placed it on a white card base that was done with a Heidi Swapp stencil and some GinaK bubblegum pink ink. The sentiment is from SNSS, heat-embossed with white on black, and the little heart is covered with glossy accents.

I'm sharing this with the Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #364 - CAS

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great Monday!

Carol

I'm Here for You

While looking through my overflowing box of pre-cut and/or pre-stamped images, I found this flower, stem, vellum leaf, and pre-printed sentiment, so I decided to use them together to make a card. The flower was done some time ago and it's by SU!. It was colored with Copics, clear-embossed and fussy cut and popped up on dimensionals. The stem I cut at a friends' house and don't recall who makes it. The leaf is by Hero Arts - stamped on a piece of green vellum with versamark, clear embossed and fussy cut. I cut a strip of SU!'s new grape color cardstock and added the sentiment with 3 lavender gemstones and called this one done.

I used the Freshly Made Sketch FMS349 to create this card.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I wish you a great day!

Carol

CAS Christmas

Today I have a CAS Christmas card - the first make for my 2018 stash. I treated myself to this MB Pine Trio Outline die and die-cut it with some glitter gold and dark green cardstocks along with a white card base. I placed the negatives back into the card base, adding interest with the green trees outlined with gold. The sentiment is a glittered gold sticker and I stopped at CAS instead of adding more layers which I always seem to do.

I'm sharing this with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - use something new

the Jingle Belles Christmas challenge - use something new

Happy Little Stampers January 2018 Christmas challenge - a/g with an option of CAS

Thanks for checking in today, and I do hope you're safe and warm where you are! We are in SE PA and the winds are bitter cold but we only got a dusting of snow, unlike those who live along the Eastern coastline and up into New England! Brrrrrr!!

Carol

Season of Joy

I made a CAS card - something you rarely see on this blog. Hah! I was playing with an older MFT stamp set, using the sentiment for the cards in the previous post, and found this cute little bird I'd forgotten about. I stamped him on white, colored with Copics, and die-cut with a GinaMarieDesigns stitched square. I matted with a die-cut SB scalloped square from a snippet of green lying on my table, then did a final mat with another die-cut square of red. I used a MB woodland branch to die cut a piece of branch for him to perch on. The sentiment is from a retired SU! stamp set.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges...

HLS January Christmas challenge - anything goes /optional twist - "joy"

Cards in Envy - snow bird challenge

Snippets Playground weeks 263 and 263 - must use snippets

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you're having a happy freezin' season! Winter is here with our morning temperature of 10 degrees!!  Brrrrr!

Carol

CASE-ing Brenda

I recently saw this pretty card and tutorial on Brenda's blog and knew I wanted to give this technique a try, so I pulled out my SU! Fabulous Flowers stamp set (r) and got to work. I stamped the image in Spun Sugar distress ink so I'd have the lighter color to work with, then die cut the center panel with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die. I colored the panel with Copics; outlining the petals with a fine black marker before inserting it back into the larger piece. I cut all the panels with Lil Inker stitched rectangle dies and added a SU! (r) thank you sentiment along with some Pizzazz Aplenty pink gemstones. After I finished this, I decided to make another one using a different flower stamp........

This one was done with just one cut panel instead of 2, and I used the (r) SU! Blended Bloom stamp, again coloring just the insert piece before putting it back into the card base. I added a SNSS sentiment along with some Copic-colored snippets to match the big flower, punching them out with SU! mini punches and dotting the centers with tiny black gemstones from Pizzazz Aplenty.

I'm happy with how they turned out, so thanks for that fun tutorial Brenda - I'm surely going to make more of these in the future :) Go have yourself a wonderful day now, and thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Stenciled Flowers

I was looking through my craft supplies when I found this large 8x10 stencil that I used to use for scrapbook pages, so I decided to make a card with a portion of it. I sponged the water color paper background over the stencil with blueprint sketch and mermaid lagoon distress inks, leaving a lighter section in the center. After I saw the stark white outline against the inks, I thought it needed something more, so I took a fine marker and doodled around the edge of the stenciled image. I added a couple die-cut MB ladybugs to the scene and finally a LOLV sentiment to the top. I'm sharing this over at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge which is to "Stencil it."

Wishing you a great weekend - thanks so much for stopping by!

Carol

Clean and Simple

Here's something you don't often see from me - a CAS card! I used one corner of the card to stamp the MFP owl image with Versafine, then heat-embossed it with clear ep. Next I colored the flower with a red Copic and added a small white mini brad to the center. I used a Cool Caribbean card base, and sponged around the image with matching Cool Caribbean ink. The sentiment is also from MFP and I did some piercing along the stamped corner and added some matching sequins for the final touch.

I'm sharing this over at the Tuesday Throwdown #264 which is "Clean and Simple."

Thanks for stopping by, and I wish you a bright and happy Monday!

Carol

I Wheelie Like You

I have a quick and easy card to share today made for cards for hospitalized kids. I used a Lawn Fawn stamp set for this little hamster along with some Lil Inker stitched rectangles. The finishing touch was some red & white twine to tie it all up together.

I'm entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to "tie it up."

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!

Carol

Red and White

Today I have a CAS card which I find more difficult to make than a heavily layered version. I began with the Technique Tuesday sentiment and put it into brackets made with my SU! tab punch. I added an embossed panel done with a SU! mini hearts ef, added a narrow strip of red cardstock, and a die cut "Love" from MFT die-namics. Done!

I'm sharing this one over at the Little Red Wagon challenge #296 which is to use red and white in celebration of Canada's birthday.

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great weekend!

Carol

CAS Miss You

Here's my take on the Crooked Stamper Sketch challenge CCSC#5.

I'm filling up my last box of cards for OWH by using stamp sets specifically bought for OWH cards. This card includes a Hero Arts sentiment, along with some GKD wild orchid cardstock and black ribbon. I stamped the SU! Mosaic Madness images with black ink, colored them with a matching Tombow marker, and punched them out with a Mosaic punch. I added black mini brads to the centers and called this one done. I've made several more in different colors, but this was my favorite.

I'm also sharing this over at the Snippets Playground #180 since I used snippets of white for the Mosaic pieces.

Thanks for stopping by today. Make it a great day whatever you do!

Carol

Love is in the Air

I made a couple of CAS love cards yesterday using the first stamp set I ever bought. It's SU!'s Sketch It and I've hung onto it for years because I love the heart image I'm using today. The LOVE die is from PTI and I die cut a little snippet of Bo Bunny dsp with kissing love birds to fit into the heart. The heart was heat-embossed with white ep and the card base is GinaK bubble gum pink. The love die was cut from the back of a paper pad to add a little depth.

This is the same as the card above, just done in real red. These CAS cards are something you don't see from me too often, but sometimes I manage to surprise myself :)

I'll enter these in the Tuesday Throwdown #231 which is "love is in the air" as well as the Snippets Playground #163 which is to use snippets.

Thanks for stopping by and here's wishing you a fabulous Tuesday!

Carol

My Heart is Yours

Here's a simple little card I put together after finding this heart-shaped ribbon slide in my box of die-cut elements that never got used. I made it with my Cricut and covered it with glossy accents to strengthen it. I used a piece of red gingham ribbon, plus a piece of black gingham ribbon tied to the top slot with some black twine. The burlap was a gift from my generous & thoughtful friend Mary Anne, and the sentiment came from an Inky Antics stamp set. I rounded the corners to give it a softer look, and this will go into my next OWH box of cards. I think I need to pull that Cricut cartridge out again and make a few more of these slides in assorted colors :) It's a great way to use up some ribbon (not that I have an over-abundance of it or anything!)

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day!

Carol

Happy National Scrapbook Day!

Happy National Scrapbook Day! I wasn't even aware today was a special day for scrapbookers until I saw the ODBD May challenge for OWH. They're asking if we can submit all 50 cards to the "embossing" challenge on this special day, so I'm doing my part! I used a small CB ef I've had for years, and layered it with black & grey, added a brad in the middle and added a SU! sentiment to the bottom. Done! That's 2 CAS cards 2 days in a row folks! You don't see that from me too often! lol

Thanks for stopping by on your busy weekend and make it a great day!

Carol

Clean & Graphic Thank You

Here's my entry for the Card Concept #9 challenge which is to make a monochromatic purple card. I used elegant eggplant and plum cardstock, die cutting diamond shapes, and adding a simple Hero Arts sentiment stamped in elegant eggplant ink. For the finishing touch, I added 3 tiny gemstones for a little interest. I'm calling this one "clean & graphic."

Wishing you all a wonderful Friday, and thanks for stopping by!

Carol

CASE-ing Dawn

The January 29th Mod Squad challenge is to CASE a card from a designer you like. My list of admired designers is a few miles long, but I went with this bookmarked Christmas card from DOstamping with Dawn that I just love. I don't do CAS cards very well, but I couldn't wait to try this one. Her design is also a great way to use up those little snippets of leftover paper that you can't bear to throw away. I used different papers, a different sentiment, a punched layering mat instead of a die, and I also added some twine for a little fun. I replaced the clear bling with some red bling to the tree tops as well. I found making this design so much fun, I made 3 more cards, using different papers, colors and sentiments.

I'm sure I'll be making a lot more of this design before Christmas comes around again as I donate lots of Christmas cards to several organizations!

Since these cards use all those precious snippets, I'll be sharing them over at the Snippets Playground #109 before the gates close!

Thanks for stopping by and have yourself a fabulous Friday!

Carol

CAS Color Blocks

Ever since I got the SU! banner punch, I've been thinking of other ways to use it besides making banners. When I saw the CAS-ual Friday's CFC126 challenge for "color blocks" I pulled out  lots of mini scraps of cardstock from my bin and just began punching. I lined them up to create 2 borders, then made a border from a SSS die, cut into one thin strip of stars. I die cut a black strip and inserted those tiny black stars into the white strip, added some colored gemstones and a birthday sentiment and called this card done. This is the 2nd CAS challenge I've entered this year, so I'm trying to improve my card-making skills to include more CAS cards.

Once the gates for the Snippets Playground #108 open, I'll be entering this card over there too!

Make it a fantastic weekend!!

Carol

CAS-ual Fridays CFC87 - Make your Mark

I'm getting this card in just under the deadline for the CAS-ual Fridays CFC87 challenge to use markers. I used Copics to color the apple, and layered it on some red polka dot paper. I used 2 tag punches, and then a slot punch at the top to add ribbon and twine. The image and sentiment are by LawnFawn.

Make it a great day and as always, it's great to have you come by :)

Carol

A Trio of Challenges

Here's the CAS(E) this Sketch#11 challenge.....

and here's the masculine thank-you card I made. I used leftover pieces of turquoise, along with white, and a sentiment from SU!. I really like the clean lines of this sketch, and I'll be making more of these cards in different colors.

And this is the sketch for this week's SSS194 challenge with a spin to use a snowman image. 

Have you ever found a paper pad you just love to create with and wish you had a never-ending supply? Well that's how I feel about this Echo Park Winter Wishes paper pad. There isn't a sheet in the entire pad I don't like! I used a SNSS snowman image and sentiment for this, and added some purple cardstock, some Pizzazz Aplenty pearls, and some PTI ribbon. The paper pretty much does all the work on this card. For the most part I just added some Copic coloring to this adorable snowman image.

Last but not least, is the Perfect Sentiments Challenge PSC62, which is to create a card with an encouragement sentiment on the front, and add some ribbon as well.

I stamped the Serene Silhouettes image with Versafine Onyx Black on glossy paper, then embossed it with clear detail ep. After it dried, I sponged on some Razzleberry, Bashful Blue, and Daffodil inks with a sponge. I matted with black, and matching colors of cardstock, embossing the razzleberry panel with a square lattice ef. I don't know the origin of the sentiment - I had it stamped and punched in a pile of half-started projects, so I just layered it on some bashful blue using a SU! fancy label punch. The ribbon is bashful blue.

OK, that's going to do it for me today, but thanks so much for stopping by and make it a great Monday!

Carol

Throwdown, Snippets, and a Birthday Sketch

 Here's my card for the OWH Stars and Stamps midweek throwdown to use green on our cards. I had a left-over strip of green card stock, so I die cut the word "happy" using a Simon Says Stamp die, and made a matching border using a SU! fancy scallop border punch. The sentiment was masked from another stamp by G studio. A little green & white twine at the top balanced everything out for this CAS card.
I'm also entering this into the Pixie's Crafty Snippets #55 challenge, which is to use left-over snippets of our crafting supplies.

Here's the sketch for Seize the Birthday#2, and this week we're asked to make masculine cards.

I flipped the sketch, and used papers a sweet friend gave me. (thanks M A) I stamped the SU! image with versafine onyx black in, then embossed it with clear detail ep. Before cutting with a SB labels 25 die, I outlined the inside of the die with a teal marker, then colored parts of the motorcycle with Tombows. The teal panel in the back was embossed with a CB houndstooth ef, and the sentiment is by SNSS. I think I'm going to like these challenges as much as the Merry Monday Christmas card challenges. What a great way to build up a stash of these much-needed cards!

Thanks so much for stopping by and I wish you all a great day! The sun made an appearance for a couple hours this morning, but it's disappeared once again behind the clouds! Oh well........on with enjoying this day :)

Carol