Cats & Dogs

Hi there!  I didn't have as much time in the Craft Cave today as I had hoped but I managed to finish off my special orders and squeeze in another challenge card.  This kitty card is one of the special order cards and I'm going to enter it in the Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes challenge (sentiment and kitties are all PS) and the Addicted to CAS Animal challenge.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Papertrey Ink, (Melon Mambo, Basic Black) Stampin' Up

Stamps:  (Cats from Feline Friends, Have a purrfect from nine Lives, Birthday from Sentiment Sampler) Paper Smooches

Inks:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko, (Charcoal) Hero Arts

Dies:  (Numbers) Papertrey Ink

I have a lovely client who will send me a list of cards she needs like this:

1 x Birthday w golf clubs

1 x bday w a lighthouse

1 x 40^th bday w a Cat

2 x bday w Glamour Girls

1 x bday w camera

2 x Sympathy

3 x Father’s Day 

I like it because it gives me a starting point for the cards but still leaves me lots of room to play around and be creative.  I used to get pretty stressed out with special orders but I think I've finally found my groove with them and now I kind of look at them as just another challenge card.

This next card isn't for a special order - it's just for a couple of challenges.  I started out by using the design from Freshly Made Sketches.  This adorable Simon Says pup has been sitting patiently in my stash for ages and I thought this was the perfect time to get him inky.  The JUGS Wild Card challenge this week is paper piecing and since this guy is pieced (all the way down to his collar and tag) I'm going to enter him over there. 

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Papertrey Ink, (Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight) Stampin' Up

Patterned Paper:  (Grid pattern from Documented 6x6) Simple Stories, (Brown polka dots from Natural Necessities Double Dot Designs) Bo Bunny

Stamps:  (Dog & sentiment from You Are Pawsome) Simon Says Stamp

Inks:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko

Dies:  (Nestabilities Classic Squares Large) Spellbinders

A Quartet of Cards

Hi there!  I had a productive couple of hours in the Craft Cave today.  I made some special order cards and also managed to play along with some challenges.  First up is this card that I made using the Paper Smooches Sparks sketch.  The spaceship and sentiment are from the PS Space Cadet set.  To make the moonscape I used some splatter stamps from Stampin' Up' Gorgeous Grunge.  I love how it turned out!  I'm also going to enter this in the Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes challenge and the Addicted to Stamps and More Anything Goes challenge.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Papertrey Ink, (Pumpkin Pie, Night of Navy, Smokey Slate) Stampin' Up

Stamps:  (Rocket & sentiment from Space Cadet) Paper Smooches, (Splatters from Gorgeous Grunge) Stampin' Up

Inks:  (VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko

Dies:  (Nestabilities Standard Circles Large) Spellbinders, (Stars) Mama Elephant

Gems:  Recollections

Markers: (Y08, Y17, YR26, B39, C3, C5) Copic

Next up I'm playing along with The Challenge's theme of celebrating teachers.  I think all of the sets I used here are either retired or from companies that are no longer in existence.  The apple is Unity, the sentiment is Sweet Stamp Shop and the background is Market Street Stamps.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Papertrey Ink, (Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive) Stampin' Up

Stamps:  (Apple) Unity, (Sentimetn from School's Out) Sweet Stamp Shop, (ABC Background) Market Street Stamps

Inks:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko, (Soft Granite) Hero Arts

My third card was inspired by the Joan Bardee's Muse card.  I liked the sketchy look of the birthday cake and it made me think of this Hero Arts cake that I've had forever and has never seen ink.  The sentiment is also from an old Hero Arts set so because of this I decided to join the a2z Scrapbooking Supplies Anything Goes challenge (using Hero Arts).  

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Papertrey Ink

Stamps:  (Cake from CL139, Sentiment from CL340) Hero Arts, (Circle from Beautiful Blooms II) Papertrey Ink

Inks:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko, (Bubble Gum, Butter Bar) Hero Arts, (Tempting Turquoise) Stampin' Up

Gems:  Recollections

My final card is a special order card that I'm entering in the Seize the Birthday Anything Goes challenge.  The skyline is cut from DCWV glitter paper.  I love that stuff especially for blingy, girlie cards!  It may be the first time I actually get through an entire paper pad at the rate I'm going.  :)

So that's it for today.  I have a couple more special order cards to finish tomorrow and hopefully will sneak in a few more challenge cards as well if the mojo sticks around.  Hope you're all having a fabulous weekend!

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (Daffodil Delight, Smokey Slate, Basic Grey) Stampin' Up, (Pink glitter) DCWV

Stamps:  (Birthday from Say What, Party from Good Times) Mama Elephant

Inks:  (VersaMark) Tsukineko

Embossing Powder:  (Opaque Bright White Super Fine) Wow

Dies:  (Super 2) Paper Smooches, (double Ended Banners) Papertrey Ink

Gems:  Recollections

CASology #148

Welcome to Week 148 of CASology!  Take a look at the cue word for this week:

While my card last week had no stamping on it, this week I have a stamps only, one layer card.  I hadn't come up with an idea for a design yet when I stumbled across this Avery Elle sentiment which had the very word I needed included in it.  Perfect!  And even more perfect as I need a few Father's Day cards.  

The design team gallery is a lot of fun this week with all kinds of cool ideas for the cue word. Be sure to peruse all the gorgeousness and then play along!

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Hazel Hodgkins

Joyce Mehrberg 

Judy Marino

Kimberly Wiener 

Kymona Tracey

May Sukyong Park - on a break

Melissa Chipperfield

Tracey McNeely

And this week's guest designer:

Jan

Link your creations to the CASology blog and remember that the deadline for entries is Monday at noon (CST).

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) PaperTrey Ink

Stamps:  (Sentiment from The Man, Stripe from Celebrate) Avery Elle

Inks:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko, (Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Bermuda Bay) Stampin' Up

CASology #147

Welcome to Week 147 of CASology!  Take a look at the cue word for this week:

For some reason I always think of wedding cards as being very frilly and embellished so I was panicking a bit about this cue word.  In the end I kept it super simple with an image, a sentiment and a bit of bling all confined to the lower third of the card.  

Now it's time for you to check out the gorgeousness from the rest of the design team and then get to work!

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Hazel Hodgkins

Joyce Mehrberg 

Judy Marino

Kimberly Wiener 

Kymona Tracey

May Sukyong Park

Melissa Chipperfield

Tracey McNeely

And this week's guest designer:

Carol

Link your creations to the CASology blog and remember that the deadline for entries is Monday at noon (CST).

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (Brushed Silver, Basic Black) Stampin' Up

Die:  (Sketch Heart) Simon Says Stamp

Glitter Tape:  American Crafts

Stickers:  American Crafts

CASology #146

Welcome to Week 146 of CASology!  Take a look at the cue word for this week:

As soon as I saw the cue word for this week I knew it was time to break out this Papertrey Ink set that I've had for ages but have never touched.  I wanted to keep it super simple by not coloring the image so I stamped it on a coloured card base to add some interest.  Originally I was going to stamp the sentiment directly onto the card base as well but it didn't pop enough so I embossed it onto a black piece of cardstock and popped it up on foam tape.  

Be sure to check out all the gorgeous inspiration from the design team and then get crafting!

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross - On a break

Hazel Hodgkins

Joyce Mehrberg 

Judy Marino

Kimberly Wiener 

Kymona Tracey

May Sukyong Park

Melissa Chipperfield

Tracey McNeely

And this week's guest designer:

Loll

Link your creations to the CASology blog and remember that the deadline for entries is Monday at noon (CST).

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (Bermuda Bay, Basic Black) Stampin' Up

Stamps:  (Piano & sentiment from Rhythm & Soul) Papertrey Ink

Ink:  (VersaMark) Tsukineko

Embossing Powder:  (Opaque Bright White Super Fine) Wow

Gems:  Recollections

A Trio of Cards

Hi there!  I've been scrambling this week to build up stock for an event on Saturday night.  I snuck into the Craft Cave for a couple of hours today and with the help of a few challenges I came up with three cards.  First up is a card for the Addicted to CAS Black, White & Gold challenge.  I debated with myself as to whether this is CAS or not but there's such a wide range of what is considered CAS and I don't think it's any busier than Vicki's gorgeous card so I'm going to enter it.  It was certainly simple enough to put together and I think it's pretty clean and graphic.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (Basic Black, Brushed Gold) Stampin' Up

Stamp:  (Sentiment from Magnolias for Her) Altenew

Ink:  (VersaMark) Tsukineko

Embossing Powder:  (Opaque Bright White Super Fine) Wow

Dies:  (Striped cover plate, Butterfly) Papertrey Ink

Gems:  Recollections

Next up is an entry for the sketch challenge at Stampin' Celebration. I turned the sketch 180 degrees and I pulled out some old (circa 2009) My Mind's Eye papers and an oldie but goodie Lawn Fawn stamp set.  This card also came together quickly with some simple paper piecing and I'm always excited to use up some patterned paper! 

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Bazzill

Patterned Paper:  (Love Me Do) My Mind's EyeStamps:  (Kite & sentiment from Sunny Skies) Lawn Fawn

Ink:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko

Gem:  Recollections

Last but not least is a card for CAS on Sunday and Colour Me.  CAS on Sunday wanted white plus one colour and Colour Me is having a monochromatic week so these two challenges worked perfectly together. There's only one tiny bit of stamping on this card and the rest is die cuts and a few gems.  Another simple card to put together.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Papertrey Ink, (Crisp Cantaloue, Basic Black) Stampin' Up

Stamp;  (Sentiment from Super Script) Altenew

Ink:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Stampin' Up

Dies:  (Small Circle Burst) Memory Box, (Happy) Mama Elephant

Gems:  Recollections

CASology #145

Welcome to Week 145 of CASology!  Take a look at the cue word for this week:

This is going to be a fun week because the cue word gives you a lot of room to play!  I used these Avery Elle die cut shapes to create a flower.  The design team gals went in all different directions with this word and came up with a gorgeous array of interpretations.  Be sure to check them all out and then jump in and play along!

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross - On a break

Hazel Hodgkins

Joyce Mehrberg 

Judy Marino

Kimberly Wiener 

Kymona Tracey

May Sukyong Park

Melissa Chipperfield

Tracey McNeely

And this week's guest designer:

Link your creations to the CASology blog and remember that the deadline for entries is Monday at noon (CST).

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Handy Hippo, (Strawberry Slush, Basic Black) Stampin' Up

Dies:  (Rounded Diamonds) Avery Elle, (You) Papertrey Ink

Brad:  Teresa Collins

The Challenge Guest Designer

Hi there!  I'm super excited today to be playing along as a guest designer over at The Challenge!  This week Lesley has a sketch for us:

I have to admit that all those layers made me a little nervous at first but it gave me an excuse to use some patterned papers and die cuts that I won from a PaperCrafts challenge.  Once I decided on which pieces to use it came together quite quickly and there's no stamping at all which is pretty rare for me.  I hope you'll pop over and have a look at all the other gorgeous creations from the design team and the other guest designers and then play along!   The Challenge closes on Sunday, May 10th at noon (PST).

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Bazzill

Patterned Paper:  (Alphabet Soup Girl) My Mind's Eye

Dies:  (Stitched Squares) Lil' Inker Designs, (Double Ended Banners) Papertrey Ink

Stickers:  (Micro Mono stickers) Basic Grey