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CAS Colours & Sketches #235

Aug 082017

Hello! It’s time for the first sketch challenge of the month over at CAS Colours and Sketches! We have a very easy peasy one that allows for a lot of creativity from our participants. It allows for a non-rectangular element to extend off the edge of the card. (That will make more sense when you see my sample card and the sketch graphic.)

I’ve reached back into my digital images for this week’s card and used one that I’ve always thought was pretty cute. I couldn’t bear to cut off the mouse’s tail, though. In retrospect I wish I’d rotated the image a little differently so that I could cut off more of the heart shape, in keeping with the sketch, while still keeping the tail intact. I originally planned to make this a one-layer card, but my thicker cardstock doesn’t like to feed through my printer. So I had to use a lighter weight cardstock to print the panel and then mount it on a card base. I colored the mouse with my Copics, and chose a card base to coordinate with the grey mouse. I offset the panel, lining it up even with the card base along the top and right of the card, and letting the base add a pop of color along the left and bottom of the card. Oh yeah, the sentiment was generated on the computer, too, printed along with the mouse image.

And there’s another card for the stash I’m building for Send a Smile 4 Kids. Be sure to visit the CAS Colours and Sketches blog to see the terrific cards the rest of the design team has made. I’m sure they’d love it if you left them comments, too. Then show us what you can do with this sketch! Link your card to the CC&S site by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday, August 14. I hope you’ll join in the fun there!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Cocoa’s Heart (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Solar White (Neenah); Smoky Slate (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: printer ink
Other: markers (Copic)

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - August color challenge

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Aug 132016

Hello there! It’s the second Saturday of the month, and that means it’s color challenge time at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. This time we’re asking our challenge participants to be inspired by the classic color combo of red, black, and kraft.

It’s been a while since I’ve used any of my digital images on a card, but this one particular bear image seemed to be the perfect thing to use for the color challenge. I’ve colored him with Copic markers and added some hand stitching along the edges of the image panel. I’ve used the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge for the layout of my card. I’ll admit that this card might be more accurately described as “clean and layered” rather than “clean and simple” but I’m going to go ahead and enter it into the current challenge at AAA Cards.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the design team has made. Then show us what you can create with these colors! We’d love it if you joined our challenge this week. You have until 7:00 pm Eastern time Friday, August 19 to link your card at the 52CCT site. Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Rhubarb Santa (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Stamps: Happy Everything (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Kraft, Basic Black, Real Red textured (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury Ivory (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento); printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); embroidery floss (DMC); dimensionals (SU)

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - January theme challenge

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Jan 232016

Hello there! It’s theme week at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. This week, we’d like to see your Christmas cards featuring candles or lanterns.

For my card, I printed off a digital image of a candle with holly, and colored it with markers. I used the current CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge for the layout of my card. The main panel of the card is attached to the card base with dimensional adhesive to help accommodate the thickness of the ribbon and the backs of the brads holding the sentiment frame. I also wanted to play along in the current “3-2-1” challenge at Shopping Our Stash, so I’ve used 3 metal embellishments (the frame and two brads), 2 words in the sentiment, and 1 ribbon. Because I colored the image with markers, I can submit this card to the “Make Your Mark” challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More, too.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the 52CCT design team has made. Then share your own card with us at the challenge site. You have until 7:00 p.m. Eastern time Friday, January 29 to link your card. Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Christmas Candle (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Sentiment Stamp: Christmas Tags (SNSS)
Cardstock: Wild Wasabi (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: printer ink; Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Wild Wasabi ribbon, Hodgepodge Hardware, dimensionals (SU); markers (Copic)

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - August sketch challenge

9 Responses »

Aug 012015

Hello! It’s the first of the month, and that means we have a new challenge host at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown and a new sketch challenge for you. Julie is our hostess this month, and she’s come up with a sketch that can be kept pretty simple or dressed up with matted layers.

I decided to go the matted layers route with the sketch, and I stretched it out into a rectangle. The current challenge at Shopping Our Stash is to use bling, so that helped me choose this image that can easily be blinged up with sparkly ornaments. I made one goof and didn’t measure correctly when I cut the image panel to size, so it’s not centered vertically as well as I’d like, but since I’d already colored the image I went with it anyway. Oh well. At least it was nice to use some of this designer paper that I’ve had for several years, as well as some of the larger red rhinestones that I own. I’m also including this card in the “Christmas in July 4 Kids” challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids.

Go see what the rest of the 52CCT design team has done with this sketch, and then show us your own take on it! We’d love to have you link your card at the 52CCT site. The challenge deadline is 7:00 p.m. Eastern time Friday, August 7. Please join in the fun and creativity!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Rhubarb Trims the Tree (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Sentiment Stamp: Bows and Holly (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs); designer papers from Very Merry Christmas 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Echo Park)
Ink: printer ink; Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); red rhinestones (KaiserCraft); clear rhinestones, dimensionals (SU)

congratulating a special girl

2 Responses »

Jun 082015

Our older son’s girlfriend graduated from high school on Saturday. I used the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches to create our card for her. The school’s official colors are blue and white, but the marching band and the athletic teams also have a lot of black on their uniforms, so black is considered an “unofficial” school color. I tried to color the image to look like our graduate looked in her cap and gown, with a gold tassel and stole, and with a hint of pink to represent the pink cords she wore as a music honors student. I also added bangs and some length to the hair on the image. I think she was pleased when we gave her the card yesterday!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Pure Innocence 028 (Heather Ellis)
Stamp: Everyday Sayings (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Cardstock: Brilliant Blue, Basic Black, Glimmer Silver (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: printer ink; Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); Nesting Starburst dies (QuicKutz)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - April theme challenge

8 Responses »

Apr 182015

Hello! The third Saturday of the month means it’s theme challenge time at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown. This time our hostess, Louise, was inspired by her love of cats and has chosen the theme of “Christmas cats”. So long as a cat is the focus of your Christmas or wintry card, it’ll be just right for our challenge.

Luckily for me, I had chosen a digital stamp set featuring a cat when Deedee’s Digis sponsored our 52CCT challenges last September. I’ve used it again for today’s card. This time I printed out the pre-colored version of the image and a designer paper that comes in the set, along with one of the sentiments. I rarely use pre-colored images but I wasn’t feeling particularly creative when I was making this card, so it was nice to have an easy way out. Then I chose some solid cardstock that coordinated with the red and the grey in the image and designer paper. The layout for my card comes from the current Crooked Stamper Sketch Challenge, but I’ve flipped it mirror-image so the cat wouldn’t be “looking off the edge” of the card. I used a square punch to cut the tail of the banner.

All right – now it’s your turn to get creating! We’d love it if you share your Christmas kitty cards on our challenge blog. You can link your card until 7:00 p.m. Eastern time Friday, April 24. Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Digital Images: Meowy Christmas (Deedee’s Digis)
Cardstock: Smoky Slate, Rose Red, Whisper White (Stampin’ Up); Meowy Christmas designer paper (Deedee’s Digis)
Ink: printer ink
Other: square punch (Creative Memories); standard circle and big scalloped circle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - November color challenge

4 Responses »

Nov 082014

Hello again! It’s color challenge week at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown, and we have a very traditional combination for you to work with: red, green, and your choice of either metallic silver or metallic gold.

My card ended up as a rather traditional styled card. I opted for a classic poinsettia image for my red and green. I used the paper tole technique on the poinsettia to give it some dimension. Unfortunately, it also gave the poinsettia a bit of glare that I couldn’t avoid when I was photographing the card. The large red panel is textured cardstock, which gives the card some subtle visual interest. I did go a little out of the ordinary with the sentiment panel, attaching it diagonally across the card. The sentiment panel is edged with a bit of gold embossing to coordinate with the gold embossed sentiment and flourishes. A couple of gold brads finish off the card.

Now it’s your turn to show us what you can make with these colors! If you need more inspiration first, go visit the 52{C}CT site and see what the rest of the design team has created. Be sure to link your card at the 52{C}CT site by 1:00 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, November 14. We look forward to having you join us!

Supplies:
Stamps: Season of Joy, Scenic Season (Stampin’ Up)
Digital Image: Poinsettia (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Real Red textured (SU); Pure Luxury Ivory (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: gold (ColorBox); printer ink
Other: gold embossing powder (Ranger); gold brads (Making Memories)

Cards in Envy - Pumpkin Patch

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Nov 032014

Hi there! It’s Cards in Envy challenge introduction day! For the next two weeks we have a theme challenge of Pumpkin Patch. Show us your A2 sized cards featuring at least one pumpkin. Remember to keep your cards flat enough to fit in an envelope and be mailed at the first class postage rate.

Since Halloween has passed, I didn’t want to use a jack-o-lantern image. I chose this cute Rhubarb the teddy bear digital image for my card and colored it with Copic markers. I’ve combined a couple other challenges along with the Pumpkin Patch challenge. The layout is this past week’s sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers.com, and the teddy bear lets the card qualify for the Warm Fuzzies Hope You Can Cling To challenge.

If you need additional inspiration, please go check out the Cards in Envy site and see what the rest of the design team has made. What kind of pumpkin card will you create? Share your work with us on the Cards in Envy site by 7:00 p.m. Eastern time Sunday, November 16. We’d love to have you play along with us!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Rhubarb’s Autumn Day (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: More Mustard, Dusty Durango, Autumn Vine designer paper (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); standard circle and big scalloped circle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders); small scalloped border die (Papertrey Ink)

Cards in Envy - Autumn Leaves

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Oct 062014

Good morning! It’s the first Monday of October, so that means it’s time for a new challenge at Cards in Envy. This fortnight we’re encouraging our challenge participants to get in a seasonal mood and make cards showcasing autumn leaves. Cards for this challenge should be A2 sized and be less than 1/4″ thick, since the “in Envy” part of our challenge name means that the cards should be able to be mailed in an envelope at the regular first-class postage rate.

When I look closely at leaves, especially in the fall, I don’t see just one solid color. They tend to be multiple colors – sometimes various shades of red or yellow or orange, and sometimes one dominant color speckled with other colors. Similar to snowflakes, there seems to be no two exactly alike. So I’ve created some speckled leaves for my card for this challenge. The leaf images I used are from a digital stamp set, and I printed several off in slightly different sizes onto white cardstock. I gave them a base color of yellow by watercoloring them. After they were dry, I dipped my paintbrush into a couple different colors of ink and flicked the brush to splatter the ink randomly on the leaves. I scored a couple of horizontal lines on the card base to “frame” the leaves, but the scored lines don’t show very well in the photo.

What kind of leaves will you use on your card? If you need additional inspiration, please go check out the Cards in Envy site and see what the rest of the design team has made. Then create a card following our challenge guidelines and share it with us using the linky tool on the Cards in Envy site. The challenge will close at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time Sunday, October 19. We’d love to have you play along with us!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Autumn Leaves (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Stamp: Year Round Sentiments (Hero Arts)
Cardstock: Dusty Durango (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: printer ink; Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie ink refills (SU)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - September sketch challenge

6 Responses »

Sep 062014

Hello! We’re starting off another month of challenges at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown with a sketch challenge. This one has some fun circles as well as rectangles and the chance to add a ribbon bow.

During September our challenges are being sponsored by Deedee’s Digis, and I’ve used one of their image sets for my card. The set comes with an outline version of the image as well as a pre-colored version. Because our color printer is out of ink, I’ve used the outline version and colored it myself. Since I put a sentiment in one of the circular elements, I added a few rhinestones where the sketch suggested to put the sentiment. The rhinestones started out clear, but I colored them with a Copic marker to coordinate with the deep red designer paper I’d used for the mats.

Now it’s time for you to show us what you can do with this sketch. If you need more inspiration first, be sure to check out the 52{C}CT site to see what the rest of the design team has made. Then link your card there by 1:00 p.m. Eastern time Friday, September 12. We’d love to have you join us!

Supplies:
Digital Images: Meowy Christmas (Deedee’s Digis)
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs); designer papers from Fruitcake collection pack (Basic Grey)
Ink: printer ink
Other: rhinestones (Bazzill); markers (Copic); standard circle and big scalloped circle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders); Pear Pizzazz seam binding (SU)

Cards in Envy - Toes in the Sand

5 Responses »

Aug 042014

Hello! It’s the first Monday of the month, which means it’s time for a new challenge at Cards in Envy! For the next two weeks we have a nice summery theme for our challenge – “Toes in the Sand”. The design team has come up with some great cards showing off a beach theme – go check them all out at the challenge site!

I don’t own many beach related stamps, but I have had this digital image for a while now. I’ve always felt somewhat intimidated by coloring it. I don’t mind coloring things, but scenes are a different ball game. But I decided it was time to give it a go with a sunset look. Because it’s a digital image, I was able to flip it and use the mirror image of it. I felt the mirror image worked better so the sentiment banner wouldn’t cover up the umbrella. The layout for this card is from OWH Stars & Stamps sketch challenge #227. The strip of designer paper is a scrap of some I bought at a craft store many years ago, and I’m no longer sure of the manufacturer.

Now it’s time for you to create your own beach themed card and share it with us at the Cards in Envy site! Remember that cards for our challenges must be A2 sized (4.25″ x 5.5″) with no lumpy, bumpy embellishments that would prevent them from being mailed with a regular first-class postage stamp. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Supplies:
Digital Images: Ocean Paradise, Masculine Birthday Greetings (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory, Basic Black (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs); designer paper (source unknown, but possibly from ProvoCraft)
Ink: printer ink
Other: markers (Copic)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - May recipe challenge

10 Responses »

May 172014

Hello there! This week at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown we have a fun recipe challenge for you! Ruth, our challenge hostess, has come up with a short list of elements that need to be included on your Christmas or wintry card: Coloring an image, adding rhinestones or ribbon (or both), and using the debossed side of embossed cardstock.

When I read the recipe list, I knew I’d use this cute Rhubarb digital image. Actually, I’ve used the mirror image of the digi stamp, so that it wouldn’t seem like Rhubarb was looking off the edge of the card. That’s one really awesome thing about digis vs. traditional stamps – being able to manipulate them to suit your needs when necessary! 🙂 I’ve used red and clear rhinestones for the ornaments on the tree image and in the corners of the focal panel. To highlight the debossing, I swiped an ink pad across the cardstock.

The layout for this card is taken from the current Seize the Sketch challenge – but once again, I’ve done some manipulating. First I turned the sketch on its side. Because my focal panel is larger than drawn in the sketch, I opted to leave off the “any shape” element. I felt that would be a bit too much on a card that was already pretty well packed with layers and embellishments.

Go check out the 52{C}CT blog to see what the rest of the design team has cooked up with this recipe! Then come up with your own concoction and share your work with us at the challenge site. You have until 1:00 p.m. Eastern time Friday, May 23 to link your card. We hope you’ll join us! Thanks for stopping by today.

Supplies:
Digital Image: Rhubarb Trims the Tree (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Real Red (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: printer ink; Crumb Cake (SU)
Other: markers (Copic); red rhinestones (KaiserCraft); clear rhinestones, Wild Wasabi stitched ribbon, ticket corner punch (SU); D’Vine Swirls embossing folder (ProvoCraft)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - May color challenge

8 Responses »

May 102014

Hello! This week is color challenge week at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown. Our challenge hostess, Ruth, has chosen a fun, non-traditional color palette for this. The challenge graphic shows five colors and you should choose at least three of them for your creation. Using neutral colors for stamping images and sentiments is also allowed.

After some thought, I finally decided that these colors could work for a poinsettia. I printed this poinsettia digital image twice so that I could layer the petals over the leaves and give the flower a bit of dimension. The sentiment was also computer generated. The layout for this card is the mirror image of this week’s sketch challenge at CAS – Colours and Sketches squashed into a landscape orientation. The flourishes are stamped onto the berry colored panel.

Supplies:
Digital Image: Poinsettia (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Stamps: Season of Joy (Stampin’ Up)
Cardstock: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry (SU); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: printer ink; Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - October technique challenge

7 Responses »

Oct 262013

Hello there! I don’t know about your area, but here in the Shenandoah Valley it is really starting to feel like winter isn’t far away! In the last few days high temperatures have dropped from the low 70s to the low 50s, and we’ve had freeze warnings the last two nights. The drop in temperatures is one reminder that Christmas is coming pretty quickly! It’s just under two months away! But if you’ve been playing along with 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown this year, you should have a good stash of holiday cards ready to be signed, addressed and sent.

This week Danielle is offering up a technique challenge, to create a card using a fancy fold. As much as I enjoy making flap cards, I figured since I’ve already shared two of them in October, I ought to do something different for this challenge. But I did kind of take the easy way through that by creating a simple Z-fold card. Even though I used a Rhubarb bear digital image for last week’s 52{C}CT card, I decided to use another one for today’s card. I also used a long-retired background stamp to embellish the panel on the left. I’ve been wanting to try out this silver glittery cardstock for a while, and today seemed like a good day to do so. I used Liquid Applique to make the trim on the hat fluffy, and I added a bit of Stickles to it while the Liquid Applique was still wet. There’s also some Stickles on the ribbon on the present although the photo makes it look like it’s all concentrated at the knot of the bow.

The rest of the design team members have come up with a wide variety of fancy folds! Be sure to check them out at the 52{C}CT site. Then create a fancy fold Christmas or winter card of your own and share it with us! You can link up your artwork until 1:00 p.m. Eastern time Friday, November 1. We’d love to see what you make!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Rhubarb Santa (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Stamp: Stipple Plaid (Stampin’ Up)
Cardstock: Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Silver Glimmer (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: Rose Red (SU); printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); Liquid Applique (Marvy); Frosted Lace Stickles (Ranger)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - October theme challenge

4 Responses »

Oct 192013

Hello! The third Saturday of the month means it’s theme challenge time at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown. This time our hostess, Danielle, would like us to use bling on our cards.

I decided to go blingy with a Christmas tree image, using red and clear rhinestones for the ornaments and adding Stickles to the garland. The star on top is a silver brad. The layout for the card is an older sketch from the Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog.

This also fits into the Hope You Can Cling To “Blingtastic” challenge.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you’ll join in and play along with us at 52{C}CT and/or at Splitcoaststampers!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Rhubarb Trims the Tree (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Kraft (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs); designer papers from Arctic Frost 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); star brad (The Paper Studio); red rhinestones (KaiserCraft); clear rhinestones (Bazzill); Frosted Lace Stickles (Ranger)

Older Entries

CAS Colours & Sketches #235

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - August color challenge

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - January theme challenge

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - August sketch challenge

congratulating a special girl

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - April theme challenge

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - November color challenge

Cards in Envy - Pumpkin Patch

Cards in Envy - Autumn Leaves

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - September sketch challenge

Cards in Envy - Toes in the Sand

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - May recipe challenge

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - May color challenge

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - October technique challenge

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - October theme challenge

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