Birthday RetroSketch

Popping in super quick this morning before I head off to work.  This card is for this week's RetroSketches challenge.  I love this simple sketch as it leaves the door open for a lot of possibilities - you can make it as CAS or complicated as you like.  The paper is from My Mind's Eye, the balloons are Sweet Stamp Shop and the sentiment is Hero Arts.  Have a lovely Friday!



Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (White) Bazzill, (Rose Red, Lucky Limeade) Stampin' Up
Patterned Paper:  (Flowers from Quite Contrary Little Miss Muffet, Blue from Quite Contrary Little Boy Blue) My Mind's Eye
Stamps:  (Balloons from Scootin' By) Sweet Stamp Shop, (Sentiment from CL139) Hero Arts
Inks:  (VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko
Punch:  (Corner rounder) Marvy Uchida

Best Friends Forever

Hi there!  I've got a bright and cheery card today for the Embellish challenge.  I really pushed myself to go out of my comfort zone here.  I find that I tend to be very literal when it comes to colours (leaves are always green, the sun is always yellow, etc).  Red and yellow together make me think of ketchup and mustard and therefore, burgers and hot dogs! LOL!  However, I managed to steer away from the food images and I'm pleased with where I ended up.  I used some Basic Grey and Doodlebug patterned papers for the flower and frame along with one of the awesome sentiments from Market Street Stamps' Great Big Greetings.  I really had fun with this in the end and am definitely going to try and relax a bit more in the colour department in the future. 

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  (White) Bazzill (Daffoldil Delight, Basic Black) Stampin' Up

Patterned Paper:  (Polka Dots from June Bug collection) Basic Grey, (Stripes) Doodlebug
Stamp:  (Sentiment from Great Big Greetings) Market Street Stamps
Inks:  (Poppy Parade, Basic Grey) Stampin' Up

Dies:  (Beautiful Blooms II #1, Turning a New Leaf) PTI, (Nestabilities Large Labels) Spellbinders

Button:  (Obscure collection) Basic Grey

Fall Fun

Although it's almost October it sure doesn't feel like autumn here.  It's still humid and the jeans and sweaters won't be making an appearance any time soon!  It's autumn at CAS-ual Fridays though where this week we're celebrating Fall Fun.  For this card I used a leaf image and dotted square from Market Street Stamps' Nuts About Nature and some scraps of Basic Grey patterned paper.  The sentiment if from PTI's Mat Stack 3 - love it's simplicity.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (Rustic Cream) PTI, (Early Espresso) Stampin' Up

Patterned Paper:  (Ambrosia & Kioshi collections) Basic GreyStamps: (Leaves & square from Nuts About Nature) Market Street Stamps, (Sentiment from Mat Stack 3) PTI
Inks:  (Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso) Stampin' Up

Punch:  (1 1/4" square) EK Success

CASology #12

 Welcome to Week 12 of CASology!  Here's the cue card for this week:

I was just saying in a previous post that I didn't have much in the shoe department in my stamp collection.  However, I just recently received this cute flip flop die which is perfect for the challenge!  It's still flip flop weather here.  The coolness of the weekend is gone and the humidity is back with a vengeance.  Blerg!  I kept the colour scheme super simple and used an impression plate for a bit of texture on the yellow background.  And, of course, I had to add a few gems!  :)  

What shoes have you got tucked away in your crafty closets?  Can't wait to see them!  And be sure and take a look at the gorgeous creations by the rest of the design team:

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Melissa Chipperfield

Rosemary Dennis

Tracey McNeely

Also this week's guest designer:

Jenny

Link up your creations to the CASology blog and remember that submissions are due by Sunday, 30 September at noon CST.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (White) Gina K, (So Saffron, Sahara Sand, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple) Stampin' Up
Stamp:  (Sentiment from Aug '09 KOM - Following My Heart) Unity Stamp Co
Ink:  (Raspberry Ripple) Stampin' Up

Die:  (Flip Flops) Lifestyle Crafts

Punch:  (2" square, Corner rounder) Marvy Uchida

Impression Plate:  (Linen & Canvas) PTI

Gems:  (Lily White assortment) Doodlebug

Copic:  (RV34)

Asymmetric Flower?

**This is my second post of the day.  For my Moxie Fab/PaperCrafts post please scroll down or click here!**

Apparently I'm trying to drive myself mad in the photography department today with all these dark card bases.  What a nightmare!  I used the colours from the Play Date Cafe to complete my final entry for the Moxie Fab Card Design Handbook Challenges - the Asymmetry Challenge.  Not sure if it's actually asymmetric enough...  I really struggled with this one!  I'm pleased that I managed to make a card for each of the challenges though.  I'm hoping I can keep this momentum going.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (Pink) Bazzill, (Peach Parfait, Early Espresso) Stampin' Up
Stamps:  (Flower and leaf from To/From Petals) Hero Arts, (Sentiment from Simple Salutations) Market Street Stamps
Inks: (Early Espresso) Stampin' Up

Punch:  (Corner rounder) Marvy Uchida

Gems:  (Bon Bon assortment) Doodlebug

Copic:  (E49)

Moving Flower

After my post the other day about not letting the Moxie Fab World intimidate me I realised I only had a little bit of time left to play along with the Card Design Handbook challenges Cath is hosting.  I've played along with the Repetition, Focal Point and Gallon/Quart/Pint challenges and decided I'd try to squeeze in an entry for each of the other two challenges as well.  Of course, these are the ones I find the hardest.  :)  So this card is for the Movement challenge.  The curve of the leaves creates a clockwise flow around the card from the bottom right corner around and up to the sentiment.  The white twine in the buttons ties into the sentiment and brings you back to the start. 

I'm also going to submit this to the PaperCrafts monthly Gallery Challenge.  This time we're supposed to use natural elements.  The flower was die cut from a sheet of wood veneer I got from a friend who was cleaning out his workshop.  Love the woodgrain on it and the sheet is huge so there may be many more woodgrain embellishments to come!   

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (Lucky Limeade, Night of Navy) Stampin' Up
Stamps:  (Bit of Burlap, Sentiment from Great Big Greetings) Market Street Stamps
Inks: (VersaMark) Tsukineko

Embossing Powder:  (Seafoam White) Ranger

Dies:  (Beautiful Blooms II #1, Turning a New Leaf) PTI

Buttons:  (Fabrications Linen collection) Teresa Collins

Embroidery Floss:  (White) Janlynn

Birthday Blooms

Happy Sunday everyone!  It's been a gorgeous weekend here and the humidity has dropped a bit so we've actually been able to spend time outside without feeling like we're melting.  :)  I spent a bit of time in the Craft Cave today and made a card using the ColourQ colours and the Skipping Stones Design sketch.  The images and sentiment are from Dandelion Dreams and I did some layered stamping using the stamping off technique.  I love Rich Razzleberry and I think it make such a dramatic card base!  Okay, the tide is nice and high so time to take Atticus for a swim.  Have a good evening!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (White) Bazzill Basics, (So Saffron, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry) Stampin' Up
Stamps:  (All from Dandelion Dreams) Skipping Stones Design
Inks: (So Saffron, Old Olive) Stampin' Up, (Shabby Pink) ColourBox

Die:  (Fillable Frames #4) PTI

Impression Plate:  (Linen & canvas) PTI

Today Is Your Day

When I first saw the latest Tuesday Trigger at the Moxie Fab World I immediately thought, "I don't have those colours!  I don't have any shoe stamps!  I can't do this!" and I prepared to run for the hills.  But then I stopped because I had promised myself that I would play along (more on that later).  So I looked at the picture again and started digging around in the Craft Cave.  I found some similar colours but didn't have much luck in the shoe department.  However, the shoes made me think of fashion which led me to the funky outfit on the dress form and the card grew from there.

I promise myself every week that I'm going to play along with the Tuesday Trigger challenge but most of the time I don't.  I tend to choke on it.  I'm not sure why.  I play in plenty of other challenges and none seems to freeze me up the way this one does.  I remember when I first started blogging and getting more into card making I was completely intimidated by the projects that appeared on the Moxie Fab blog.  They were all so amazing!  I couldn't imagine my work ever being that good or worthy enough for showcase on the blog.  My cards have come a long way since then and I have actually been named a Trigger Target a couple of times but I guess that initial impression of high caliber projects has stuck with me so I still struggle with the Triggers.  I'm trying to just chill out though and to play along and let myself see where the inspiration takes me.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't want my cards to be recognised and to get pats on the back for them (and maybe a prize here or there) but I'm trying to relax and remember that, initially, I started making cards because it was fun.  I was blissfully ignorant of blogs and publications and design teams - it was just about pulling that idea out of my brain and translating it onto paper.  I'm trying to focus on that enjoyment and hoping that it will help to thaw those freezes and get me back to card making for the fun of it.    

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (Basic Grey) Stampin' Up, (Chartreuse) Bazzill, (Turquoise) Pacon
Stamps:  (Dress form from May '12 KOM - Love in an Instant, Sentiment from Mar '12 KOM - From Head to Soul) Unity, (Flourish background) Hero Arts
Inks: (VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko

Dies:  (Nestabilities Labels 10) Spellbinders

Gems:  (Swimming Pool assortment) Doodlebug

Holiday Cards And More - Around The World

I was super excited to discover that a card of mine was featured on the Paper Crafts Connection blog yesterday!  (Thanks for the heads up Jocelyn and JJ)  The card appears in Holiday Cards and More Vol. 7 and yesterday PC Connection was highlighting all the international designers who appear in the issue.  One of the best parts about joining the crafty blogosphere is all the amazing people I've gotten to know from around the world.  It's pretty incredible what some cardstock and the internet can do huh?

And speaking of amazing people I wanted to share some RAK I've received in the last few months.

After telling Emily how much I loved this card she sent it to me for my birthday.  How awesome is that bold yellow card base and those bright and happy banners?

Ages ago I admired some cricket stamps that Christine used on some cards and she kindly offered to stamp some images and send them to me.  This is the gorgeous card they came with.  Love the warm colours and that sweet little Hello tag!

I was touched to receive this sympathy card from Lynn after the loss of Jem.  I always admire Lynn's layered stamping and this gorgeous card is no exception.

After Jem I was pretty much just hiding in the Craft Cave and trying to distract myself from my grief.  Lindsey sent me this perfect support card which put a much needed smile on my face.

Thanks for all the crafty love, ladies!  You sure know how to make a girl's day!

Take It With a Grain of Salt

I haven't had a margarita in a loooooong time but I do remember that they used to go down way too easily!  :) Dangerous little drinks they were but I thought they'd be perfect for the two current "black and white plus a colour" challenges that are going on.  CAS-ual Fridays is letting us choose our colour while Dynamic Duos has asked us to use Lucky Limeade with our black and white.  I used the sketch from Retrosketches for my layout and I used the obligatory touch of Stickles Clear Rock Candy to give the salty rim of the glass a little sparkle.  :)  I'm hoping to get back with another entry for CAS-ual Fridays with a different colour but we'll see if time allows.  Have a lovely day!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  (White) Bazzill, (Lucky Limeade) Stampin' Up
Stamps:  (Drink & sentiment from Tiki Time) Market Street Stamps, (Circles from Background Basics: Circles) PTI
Inks: (VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black) Tsukineko

Embossing Powder:  (Clear) Ranger

Glitter:  (Stickles Clear Rock Candy) Ranger

Copics:  YG03, YG23

CASology #11

 Welcome to Week 11 of CASology!  Here's the cue card for this week:

I think this has been the hardest CASology challenge for me so far.  Of course the first thing that came to mind was snow but I try to avoid making snowy cards as there's no snow here.  After I passed on the snow idea I wrote down everything else that came to mind when I thought of the word white.  I had quite a decent sized list in the end and I tried a couple of ideas but the cards just got too busy.  Finally I went super CAS with a one layer card.  Whenever I hear someone call their significant other their "boo" in a song it makes me giggle and think of a ghost.  This is my literal interpretation of my silly mind!  :)

Where does the word white take you?  While you're pondering the cue word check out the fabulous cards from the rest of the design team:

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Melissa Chipperfield

Rosemary Dennis

Tracey McNeely

Also this week's guest designer:

Bev

Link up your creations to the CASology blog and remember that submissions are due by Sunday, 23 September at noon CST.