Butterfly Birthday

Jan 192024

Hello there! Today’s card is for my aunt, who is turning 80 years old today! I wanted to send her a card with something more sophisticated than party hats and cute animals, but looking back through my saved photo files I realized I’ve sent her a LOT of cards with flowers. So this year I decided on butterflies.

I browsed through some of the various online cardmaking challenges and realized that I could combine a few of them for this card. I’ve used the AAA Cards sketch again (the same sketch I used for the card in my last post). The Paper Players is asking folks to use “black, white, and a bold pop of color”. It didn’t say whether or not the bold had to be just one color, so when I saw that the AAA Birthday challenge was to use a rainbow of colors, it seemed like that would tie in for something bold.

I punched a swarm of butterflies from six of the colors of the spectrum. (Sorry, indigo.) I die cut a card front from white cardstock and arranged the butterflies across it, following the sketch. I intentionally glued down only the left side or only the right side of some of the butterflies, so that the unglued wings could pop up for a little bit of dimension. I added a sentiment in black, and adhered the panel to a black card base. Ta-da!

And there you have it! I hope my aunt has a wonderful birthday! Thanks for stopping by my blog today! Comments are always appreciated.

Supplies:
Stamps: Birthday Greetings (Gina K. Designs)
Cardstock: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Cucumber Crush, Pacific Point, Eggplant Envy, Basic Black (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Onyx Black (VersaFine)
Other: butterfly punch (Martha Stewart Crafts); Outside In Stitched Scallop Rectangle die (Lawn Fawn)

CAS Colours & Sketches #528

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Jan 092024

Hello there! It’s the start of a new year of challenges at CAS Colours & Sketches!

As usual, we’re starting off with a color challenge. Jeanne, our host for the month of January, has chosen some lovely bright, rich colors for us to work with. My brain toyed with the idea of doing something with florals, but I wasn’t completely sold on that, so I decided to browse through some of the other online challenges to see what they had going on. The Paper Players is asking participants to create a birthday card, and AAA Cards has a sketch challenge. The proverbial light bulb went off in my head, and I came up with this:

OK, it may not be the most conventional color trio to see on party hats, but I thought it worked all right. Grouping the hats was tricky, and I realize that viewing the hats as one whole image, it’s not centered, but oh well. I know I’m picky about that kind of thing.

I hope you’ll join in the fun and creativity at CC&S! You have until 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Monday, January 22 to link your card to the challenge post. Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hats Off to You, So Much to Say, Happy Everything (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Solar White (Neenah); Berry Burst (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: Onyx Black (VersaFine)
Other: markers (Copic); Stitched Rectangle die (Lawn Fawn)

CAS Colours & Sketches #519

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Aug 292023

I know, I know, it’s been a very long time since I’ve shared anything here on my blog. I’ve had a difficult time channeling my creative spirit over the last few years, but lately I think I’m slowly finding my way back to it.

Today marks the start of a new challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. Since it’s the fifth Tuesday of the month, it’s a double challenge, combining colors with a sketch for you to use. I’ve flipped the sketch mirror-image for my card and added a base, but the main idea of the sketch is still easily seen.

I stamped a butterfly on a piece of shimmery cardstock and colored it in with colored pencils blended with odorless mineral spirits. I added a simple sentiment before attaching it to a base card in one of the challenge colors. Pretty much good ol’ back-to-basics card making!

Be sure to check out the challenge blog for more inspiration from the CC&S design team! Follow our challenge guidelines when you create your card for this challenge, and link it up at our challenge blog by 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Monday, September 4, 2023. We’d love to see what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: Wonderful Wings (Stampin’ Up); Birthday Greetings (Gina K. Designs)
Cardstock: Cryogen White (Curious Metallic); Pale Plum (SU)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: colored pencils (Prismacolor); odorless mineral spirits (Gamsol); blending stumps

CAS Colours & Sketches #503

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Jan 312023

Well hello there! It’s time for another challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. This week we have a double challenge for you, combining some retired Stampin’ Up colors with a sketch from the CC&S archives. The SU color names are used for reference, but of course you can use any companies’ products so long as you match the colors as closely as possible.

I had a couple different ideas in mind for this challenge, and finally decided to make a birthday card. I stamped the cake image on a scrap of white cardstock, colored it with markers, and fussy cut it. Then I stamped the sentiment on a white panel of cardstock. I figured since the letters on the stamp aren’t in a straight line, that I’d just eyeball my stamping, without using any sort of stamp positioner. The spacing between the lines of text isn’t quite consistent if you look closely, but even my perfectionist self thinks it’s OK. After I stamped the sentiment, I used a stitched-edge die to cut the panel to the size of the card front. I attached it to a card base in the yellow challenge color, and used dimensional adhesives to adhere the cake to the card.

Now it’s your turn! Check out the CC&S site for all the challenge details and to see what the rest of the design team has made. Then share your creation(s) with us by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday, February 6. We’d love to have you play along with us!

Supplies:
Stamps: Year Three (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Solar White (Neenah); Barely Banana (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: Barely Banana, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red (SU); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); stitched rectangle die (Lawn Fawn)

CAS Colours & Sketches #500!!!

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Dec 132022

The CAS Colours & Sketches challenge blog has reached a tremendous milestone today with the start of its 500th challenge! That’s ten years’ worth of weekly challenges! It’s pretty amazing for me to think about that.

Since it’s our last challenge of the year, we’re revisiting our challenges from 2022 and creating seasonal cards with them. I’ve opted to use challenge #485, which was a double challenge combining retired Stampin’ Up colors with one of the previous CC&S sketches. I actually made two cards, switching up the colorways a bit, and making one portrait-oriented card and one landscape-oriented card. I also changed up the matting on them, by centering one and offsetting the other. I’ve used one of my favorite tree images. I luckily had brads that matched both the pomegranate and bayou colors so that I could use them as ornaments to decorate the tree!

Be sure to check out the challenge blog! Follow our challenge guidelines when you create your card for this challenge, and link it up at our challenge blog, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of four terrific prizes! You have until 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Saturday, December 31, 2022 to submit your card. Good luck! Thanks for stopping by today.

Supplies are from Stampin’ Up unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Season of Joy; Most Wonderful (Uniko)
Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, Whisper White
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, Wild Wasabi, Baked Brown Sugar
Other: rose round brads; blue round brads (Making Memories); star brad (Recollections)

CAS Colours & Sketches #499

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Dec 062022

Hello there! I’m hosting the December challenges for CAS Colours & Sketches, and our first challenge of the month starts today.

I’ve created a little scene using the challenge colors. I blended a few different shades of blue ink to create the background on some shimmery cardstock and stamped the sentiment below the background area. I stamped the penguins on some plain white cardstock, colored them with Copic markers, and cut them out. I used dimensional adhesive to attach the penguins to the card.

AAA Cards has a theme of “small and few” for their current challenge, so I’m going to enter my card into it. (I’d be stretching it for their option of baked goods by trying to claim these are penguin cookies… LOL!)

What will you create with our CC&S challenge colors? We would love to see what you make with them! You have until 6:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday, December 12 to link your card at the challenge post. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps: Say What? Christmas Critters and Say What? Holiday Critters (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Cryogen White (Curious Metallic), Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento); Brilliant Blue, Night of Navy, Ballet Blue (Stampin’ Up)
Other: markers (Copic); blending brush; dimensionals (SU)

CAS Colours & Sketches #487

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Sep 132022

Hello there! It’s time for the first sketch challenge of the month at CAS Colours & Sketches. I think a lot of different variations can be done with the tag-like shape, and I’m looking forward to seeing what our challenge participants do with it!

I needed to make a birthday card for my brother-in-law, and the sketch fit the bill perfectly. I knew I wanted to use this image of a gift. Even though it comes from a Christmas-themed stamp set, it works fine for birthday presents, too. I stamped it onto two different designer papers, fussy cut it, and pieced it together. It’s pretty fiddly to fussy cut around the bow and each time I do it I mentally ask myself why I continue to do it, LOL, but I do like the way it turns out. I had a tall, narrow strip left over from some digital designer paper I had printed years ago. Just a little bit of trimming made it the right size for the sketch. Because it’s a repetitive text print, I didn’t think I needed to include a sentiment. It also qualifies this card for the current challenge at Inkspirational.

I had a furry, four-legged shadow while I was working on the card and photographing it. I warned him that if he didn’t back off, he’d get his picture taken, too. He didn’t seem to care. Silly kitty.

What will you do with this sketch? I hope you’ll try out something and share what you create with us! Link your work to the CAS Colours & Sketches blog by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday, September 19. Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Stamp: Bows and Holly (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Crumb Cake (Stampin’ Up); scraps from Pyrus 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey); Vintage Birthday digital designer paper (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento); printer ink

CAS Colours & Sketches #486

2 Responses »

Sep 062022

Hello there! It’s the first Tuesday in September, which means that it’s time for a new month of challenges at CAS Colours & Sketches. As always, we begin the month with a color challenge, and we have some bright, cheery colors for you to work with.

My card went through a few different ideas in my head before I finally got it down with cardstock and ink. I had this card from a few years ago in the back of my mind, but I wanted to put a different spin on it. When I was going through my white cardstock file I found a piece of cardstock already cut to the size of a card front, with the “happy birthday” sentiment already stamped on it, so I decided to go ahead and use it. I cut a circle from a scrap piece of paper to use as a mat and stamped the three dots stamp around it in a sunburst design, alternating the challenge colors. I just eyeballed my stamping and didn’t worry about getting the dots aligned perfectly. Then I removed the mask and stamped the cake into place (aiming a bit lower than I should have to get the cake centered in the circle… oops). Then I colored the cake with Copic markers. In trying to keep with the “minimal layers” aspect of “clean and simple”, I decided to use mats only in the corners.

I didn’t have the exact colors of ink and cardstock stated in the challenge graphic, so I used the ones I had that matched most closely. It’s not my most favorite card I’ve ever made, but I still think it’s pretty cute.

Now it’s your turn! Check out the CC&S site for all the challenge details and to see what the rest of the design team has made. Then share your creation(s) with us by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday, September 12. We’d love to have you play along with us!

Supplies:
Stamps: Year Three, Happy Happy Happy (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Lovely Lilac, Marigold Morning (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Lovely Lilac, Marigold Morning, Pink Passion (SU); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic)

CAS Colours & Sketches #480

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Jul 262022

Hello there! It’s sketch challenge week again at CAS Colours & Sketches.

I didn’t have much time to create this week, so my card was very quick and easy. I took a piece of white cardstock and masked off a triangular area. I had freeform cut the papers I used as a mask, to give the triangle a more organic shape. I took color cues from The Color Hues challenge, and blended some peach colored inks into the triangular area. Then I stamped the sentiment in grey ink, and mounted the panel on a card base in matching grey cardstock.

In retrospect, I wish I’d taken the time to highlight the word “awesome” with some Wink of Stella or something. But I suppose the card is OK as it is.

The CC&S sketch challenge is open until 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Monday, August 1, and we’d love to have you join in! Thanks for stopping by today.

Supplies:
Stamps: Incredible (Technique Tuesday)
Cardstock: Going Gray (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Groovy Guava, Crisp Cantaloupe, Going Gray (SU)
Other: blending brushes

CAS Colours & Sketches #479

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Jul 192022

Hello! It’s color challenge week at CAS Colours & Sketches and this time we have a trio of pastel colors.

As challenge host, I chose these colors with the idea that I would make a baby-themed card with them, for a family member who’s expecting her first daughter in the fall. I ended up using last week’s CC&S sketch for the layout of my card because it seemed to work well with the onesie image. I stamped the onesie onto designer paper with a subtle pinstripe pattern, and fussy cut it. I also stamped and fussy cut the flower, using pink cardstock for it. I die cut the panel, assembled the card’s components, stamped the sentiment, and added a tiny half pearl to the center of the flower for a finishing touch.

What will these colors inspire you to create? We’d love to have you join in our challenge! You have until 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Monday, July 25 to link your card to our challenge post. Thanks for stopping by today!

All supplies are from Stampin’ Up unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: By Ones & By Twos
Cardstock: Soft Sea Foam, Blushing Bride, So Saffron Prints designer paper
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Speech Trio die (Mama Elephant); half pearl (Recollections)

CAS Colours & Sketches #478

1 Response »

Jul 122022

Hello! It’s sketch challenge time this week at CAS Colours & Sketches and we have a good one for you!

When I first decided on using this image of the little girl, I thought of some of my designer papers that look like flowers on a grassy background. But as I browsed through them, they all seemed too “busy” for a card that’s supposed to be clean and simple in style. So I ended up going big time simple with plain green cardstock for the hill, set against a plain sky blue background. I stamped the girl on a scrap of white cardstock and colored her with Copics before very, very carefully fussy cutting her and gluing her into place. Her outstretched arms look to me like she’s reaching out for a hug, so that’s how I decided on the sentiment I used.

What will you create with this sketch? We would love to see your clean and simple card submitted for our challenge! You have until 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Monday, July 18 to link your card at the challenge site. Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Stamps: In My Heart (Mama Elephant)
Cardstock: Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); Speech Trio die (Mama Elephant)

CAS Colours & Sketches #477

1 Response »

Jul 052022

Hello there! July is my month to host at CAS Colours & Sketches, and I hope you’ll join in the fun and creativity there!

As usual, we’re starting off the month with a color challenge. I’ve chosen a little different spin on the traditional red, white, and blue seen here in the United States on our July 4th Independence Day. I die cut stars from burgundy and navy cardstock and heat embossed the points of the stars in gold. The sentiment stamp was inked with markers so I could include both the navy and burgundy colors. I thought through a few different ideas for the main panel and the mats and card base before deciding on an offset panel with a thin mat.

Now it’s your turn to show us what you can make with these colors! If you need more inspiration first, go visit the CC&S site and see what the rest of the design team has created. Be sure to link your card at the CC&S site by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, July 11. We look forward to having you join us!

All supplies are from Stampin’ Up except where noted:
Stamp: Lexicon of Love
Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Gold (ColorBox)
Other: Night of Navy and Bravo Burgundy markers; Star dies (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps); gold embossing powder (Ranger)

CAS Colours & Sketches #476

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Jun 282022

Hello! I’m trying to get back into card making again and decided to start back with this week’s challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches.

This week’s sketch is for a slimline card. Since I’m weird about wanting my cards to fit the envelopes I already have, I’ve made my card a 5.5″ x 3″ rectangle. I’ve turned the sketch on its side for my card. I’ve gone way back into the stamp stash and chosen a very old, long-retired stamp set for the flower border. The sentiment is also from a retired set, but it’s not as old. Come to think of it, the green ink that I used is retired, too. Let’s hear it for some oldies but goodies, ok? 🙂

What will you create with this sketch? We’d love to have you share your card with us at CC&S! You have until 6:00 p.m. Monday, July 4 to link your card to the challenge post. Thanks for stopping by today!

All supplies are from Stampin’ Up:
Stamps: Border Builders, On Your Birthday
Cardstock: So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: So Saffron, Wild Wasabi

CAS Colours & Sketches #459

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Mar 032022

Hello! I decided to join in the color challenge this week at CAS Colours & Sketches.

I thought the pretty colors worked well for Easter since that’s coming up pretty soon. I’ve also been eyeing the current AAA Cards challenge and decided to combine that with the color scheme. I stamped the bunny and some Easter eggs on a scrap of white cardstock, colored them with Copics (trying to match the challenge colors), and fussy cut them. I opted for a landscape-oriented card using the challenge green for the card base. To create the little scene, I used a die to cut out a rectangle that was 1/9 the size of the white card front, arranged the bunny and the eggs around it, and attached the white panel to the card base with shims of scrap cardstock underneath it to give it a little dimension.

Thanks for stopping by today! Remember, the CC&S challenge will remain open until 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Monday, March 7. We hope you’ll join in the fun and creativity!

Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Easter (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Soft Sea Foam (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); rectangle die (Spellbinders)

One card, four challenges

4 Responses »

Feb 112022

Hello! There are so many awesome card making challenges out there, and not enough time in a day, so I’ve combined four challenges into one card for today’s post. I do have to say that as I was creating it, I had a mental picture in my head of how the finished card would look… and then when I finished the actual card, I looked at it and thought, “meh”, because it didn’t quite turn out as nicely as my mental picture card. Oh well.

Anyway… I’ve used this week’s sketch from CAS Colours & Sketches with the color scheme from Color Hues. The themes from The Paper Players and Addicted to CAS are similar enough to work together. I stamped a filigree design on a scrap of textured red cardstock and die cut the hearts from it. I stamped the sentiment on a scrap strip of cardstock and trimmed the ends into a banner shape. The small heart and the banner are attached with dimensional adhesive in an attempt to keep them from blending into the large hearts and white background. I added a narrow mat to the focal panel to give an extra pop of black for the color scheme.

The CC&S sketch challenge is open until 6:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. time Monday, February 14, and we’d love to have you join in! Thanks for stopping by today.

All supplies are from Stampin’ Up unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Filigree, Short & Sweet
Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red textured
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: dimensionals; heart dies (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)

Older Entries

Butterfly Birthday

CAS Colours & Sketches #528

CAS Colours & Sketches #519

CAS Colours & Sketches #503

CAS Colours & Sketches #500!!!

CAS Colours & Sketches #499

CAS Colours & Sketches #487

CAS Colours & Sketches #486

CAS Colours & Sketches #480

CAS Colours & Sketches #479

CAS Colours & Sketches #478

CAS Colours & Sketches #477

CAS Colours & Sketches #476

CAS Colours & Sketches #459

One card, four challenges

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