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CAS Colours & Sketches #250 and Birthday Celebration!

Nov 212017

Hello! It’s an especially exciting time at CAS Colours & Sketches this week! Our challenge blog is five years old, and we’re celebrating with challenge #250! To thank our challenge participants for helping us reach this amazing milestone, five lucky players in this week’s challenge will be chosen to win an in-stock clear stamp set of their choice from Uniko! In addition, five of our design team members are giving away prizes – but you’ll need to leave a comment on their blogs to be eligible to win. That’s ten prizes in all, in addition to our usual Weekly Winners honorees! You won’t want to miss out on this event! All the details are at the challenge site.

Our challenge this week features some bright, cheery colors. I was in such a party mood that I made two cards! I used a die to cut stars from cardstock in the three challenge colors plus black. The die I chose created lots of little parts, which made it easy to make multiple cards using the frames from the black stars and the little pieces to fill in the design. Some of the pieces were pretty tiny so I opted not to fill those back in. I think the white left there provides some nice contrast. The “merry & bright” sentiment for the Christmas card comes from our challenge sponsor, Uniko.

The “thank you” card is dedicated to all of our challenge participants and to our fantastic design team. Without all you awesome people, the blog wouldn’t have achieved the success it has. A big hug of appreciation goes out to all of these people for making our blog such a wonderful gathering place for fun and creativity!

We’d love to see what you can create with this week’s colors, and to have you join in celebrating with us! Share your card at the CC&S website by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time Monday, November 27. We hope you’ll continue to join in our challenges. Thank you to our fantastic sponsor for this week, Uniko!

Supplies:
Stamps: Most Wonderful (Uniko); Incredible (Technique Tuesday)
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Pacific Point (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: Onyx Black (VersaFine)
Other: Wrapped Star die (Poppystamps)

dynamic merry & bright tree

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Sep 262012

Dynamic Duos has a monochromatic color scheme this week. I decided to combine that challenge with the current Sketch For You To Try layout. I used the rock-n-roll technique to ink up the tree image. I layered a grosgrain ribbon over a satin ribbon for the vertical strip in the sketch. I added a gold star-shaped brad to the top of the tree. Although it doesn’t show off well in the photo, in real life it adds a nice little touch of shine to the card.

All supplies except the star mini brad are from Stampin’ Up.
Stamps: Season of Joy, All-Year Cheer I
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Confetti Cream, Certainly Celery Prints designer series paper
Ink: Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery
Other: Certainly Celery satin ribbon, Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon; star mini brad (The Paper Studio)

sketchy Halloween, part two

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Aug 292012

I used the July Sketch For You To Try to make a Halloween card for Operation Write Home… and as fate would have it, I repeated that theme with the August Sketch For You To Try! I even used the same image stamps. (I love how the witch’s hat fits the cat!) But the stamps and theme are where the similarities end. My August card is more colorful, which in my opinion gives it a more “fun” feel. I have to admit I enjoyed using up some of this designer paper.

OK, enough chitchat… here’s the card:

Supplies:
Stamps: Critters in the ‘Burbs, Hats Off To You (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Razzleberry Lemonade designer papers (Stampin’ Up); Pure Luxury Ivory (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic)

dynamic sketchy Halloween

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Jul 312012

Here’s what I came up with (just under the wire, eek!) for the July Sketch For You To Try. It’s another Halloween card for Operation Write Home. I tried to take some of the seriousness out of the sentiment by pairing it with the cute cat from Lawn Fawn. The color scheme comes from this week’s Dynamic Duos challenge. The espresso colored panel is embossed with an embossing folder that I chose because it made me think of the wind swirling around on a spooky night; sadly, it doesn’t show in the photo very well. Sigh. Anyway, here’s the card:

Sorry this post is kind of short and maybe not quite coherent… I have the TV paused (thanks to the DVR) so I can post this before heading back to watch the Olympic women’s gymnastic finals. 🙂 Go Team USA!

Supplies:
Stamps: Critters in the ‘Burbs, Hats Off to You (Lawn Fawn); Looks Like Spring (SU); Sweet & Spooky (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Cardstock: Kraft, Early Espresso (SU); Pure Luxury Ivory (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso (SU); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); Crumb Cake seam binding, dimensionals and black brads (SU); D’Vine Swirls embossing folder (ProvoCraft); standard circle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders)

dynamic, sketchy, colorful dreams

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Jun 212012

Over the past several years of cardmaking, I’ve learned that when there are more interesting challenges than there is time to make cards for each one, that combining can be a good thing. That’s what I’ve done with today’s card. The color combo is Dynamic Duos #7, and I’ve included their “dessert option” of adding ribbon to the card. The layout is the June Sketch for You To Try. The splashes of bright color against the neutral background fit the current Lawnscaping Challenge.

I used the same watercoloring with reinkers technique I used on last week’s Father’s Day cards to color the flowers. Otherwise, the card pretty much speaks for itself… so here it is:

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you’ll come back again soon.

Supplies:
Stamps: Flutter By (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Basic Black (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Melon Mambo ink refill (SU); black satin ribbon (Offray); D’Vine Swirls embossing folder (ProvoCraft); standard circle and lacey circle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders); half pearls (KaiserCraft)

you are amazing

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May 312012

I’m not sure why, but I had a really hard time coming up with an idea that I liked for the May Sketch For You To Try challenge. I tried several different images for the focal panel and nothing really seemed right. Finally this morning I decided to scale back my efforts and take a clean and simple approach to the sketch, and I’m OK with the results. Turning the sketch on its side gave me a different perspective on it, too. The little stars under the sentiment were punched when I used the border die; I adhered them so the other side of the designer paper shows. I’ll admit the card itself might not be the most amazing, but I think this is a good general purpose sentiment to use for Operation Write Home.

Supplies:
Stamps: You (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: River rock, Soft Sky, Western Sky designer papers (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: Ruby Red (SU)
Other: Stars Scallop die (SNSS)

sad puppy

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Apr 302012

Squeaking in under the wire, here is the card I made for the April Sketch For You to Try challenge. I actually made this one a couple weeks ago but kept thinking I’d have time to make “something better” to submit for the challenge. Well, that didn’t happen, so what I have is this very clean and simple version of the sketch. I inadvertently swapped the long panels when I assembled the card so this is actually a mirror image of the sketch.

This card also uses several of the Desert Islands Crafts Challenge itinerary #29 items: no flowers, red and black, pressure embossing, gray, and rounded corners.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Kolar’s Simple Sayings (K ‘n K Designs)
Cardstock: Going Gray, Real Red, Basic Black, Naturals White (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); Spots and Dots embossing folder (ProvoCraft); standard circle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); corner rounder punch (EK Success)

DICC Guest Designer - no foolin'!

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Apr 012012

I was honored and delighted recently to be asked to create a crafty itinerary for the Desert Islands Crafts Challenge blog! If you’re not familiar with DICC, they present a new challenge on the 1st and the 15th of every month. They provide a list of 10 items, and you must use a minimum of three of those items on your creation, which can be a card, layout, or other crafty project. My itinerary is up now through April 14, 2012. I’d love to see what you can create from it! Here’s the list:

1. humorous or punny sentiment

2. no glitter

3. suitable for a child under the age of 10

4. 2 or more patterned papers

5. sponging

6. masculine

7. clean and simple

8. pearls

9. punched or die cut embellishments

10. brown

I used items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 for my card. I was trying for #7, too, but I think it’s stretching the limits of “clean and simple” a bit. I used the mirror image of the March 2012 Sketch For You To Try for the layout. Item #2 is in honor of Operation Write Home. If you have handmade cards that need a home, I encourage you to consider donating them to OWH. Cute Rhubarb the bear makes this card work for the current OWH Stars & Stamps blog Midweek Throwdown Challenge, too.

Thanks again to Taylor and the rest of the Desert Islands Design Team for letting me be a part of them for this challenge!

Supplies for this card:
Stamps: Thoughtful Rhubarb (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Close to Cocoa (Stampin’ Up); Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink); papers from Oxford 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento); Close to Cocoa (SU)
Other: standard circle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); markers (Copic); sponge

forget me not

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Mar 312012

It’s been a busy week, but I did get time to make a card today. Well, finished today. I actually started this one a few days ago, but ended up reworking the layout a couple times. I finally came up with this for the March Sketch For You To Try layout. I ended up substituting an oval for the rectangular focal panel on the sketch. This card is going to be donated to Operation Write Home. I think it turned out to be suitable for one of our heroes to send home to either a girlfriend, wife, mother or grandmother.

Here’s the sketch:

And, I’m still waiting for someone to make comment #1500 on my blog so they can win the goodies I showed in my March 27 post! It’s getting really really close now! Here’s the prize again – with a few extra smaller goodies not shown:

EDITED ON APRIL 5, 2012 TO ADD: We have a blog candy winner! Please see this post for details.

Here’s the supply list for today’s card:
Sentiment stamp: Love is Like a Tree (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Digital Image: Forget-Me-Not (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Barely Banana textured, Lovely Lilac, Almost Amethyst Prints designer papers (Stampin’ Up); Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento) [for sentiment]; printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); standard circle and petite oval Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders)

distressing bananas with a sketch

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Feb 282012

For today’s card, I’ve combined the current Lawnscaping challenge with the February Sketch For You To Try layout. Well, actually it’s the mirror image of the sketch. I reversed it so the bananas wouldn’t be “looking off the edge” of the card. The Lawnscaping challenge is to use distressing on your project. I chose to ink the edges of the sentiment circle. I also sponged the circular elements on the long narrow strip in the sketch and then glued the fussy cut bananas over them. I decided to dress up the inside of the card a bit by adding a bit of sponging to the edges of the liner cardstock and another banana just for fun. I kept the card pretty simple, without a lot of foofy stuff, because it’s going in my Operation Write Home stash.

Supplies:
Stamps: My Silly Valentine (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Very Vanilla, Barely Banana textured (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: Close to Cocoa (SU)
Other: standard circle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); markers (Copic); sponge

dragonfly smiles

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Jan 282012

Thanks to my husband’s parents, I used some Christmas money to treat myself to some new stamps. You saw images from one new set on Wednesday’s post. Today’s card uses another one.

For this card, I combined the January Sketch for You to Try layout with the current Desert Islands Craft Challenge to create another kid-friendly card for Operation Write Home. The DICC itinerary items I chose were a monochromatic card, embossing, no designer paper (a shocker for me, LOL!), and a sentiment on the front of the card. I stamped the “smile!” sentiment repeatedly on the white panel in the background, and then elaborated on that thought for the sentiment near the bottom of the card. There is a little bit of Shimmerz paint on the dragonfly’s wings; I wanted to add some glitz to the card but still keep it gender-neutral. I think that fits in with this week’s Stars and Stamps blog Midweek Throwdown challenge to use glitter-free bling.

Supplies:
Stamps: Somebuggy Loves You (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Gable Green, Green Galore, Glorious Green (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Glorious Green (SU); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Victoria embossing folder (ProvoCraft); standard circle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); markers (Copic); Angel Wings paint (Shimmerz)

patriotic thanks

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Dec 222011

I mentioned in my last post that I felt I should make more Any Hero cards for Operation Write Home, to thank the men and women stationed overseas for the work they do. Today I’m sharing another card made for that purpose.

I used the December Sketch For You To Try for the layout. The sketch was drawn as a square, but I squooshed it into a rectangle to make a “regular” 4.25″ x 5.5″ card. When I was coloring the image the eagle’s head turned out darker than I wanted it, but oh well. I know it would look better if I had a sky and clouds and such in the background, but I didn’t take the time for that and I guess it looks OK the way it is. It was nice to finally find a use for these mesh star eyelets that I bought at least 5 years ago.

Here’s the original sketch, so you can see how I modified it:

Jen del Muro, the creator of the Sketch For You To Try blog, changed her challenge format from weekly sketches to monthly sketches this year. I’m glad she did because that allowed me the chance to participate in all 12 challenges. 🙂 Here are links to the other SFYTT cards I’ve made this year:

January – happy o’birthday
February – maybe I auto stop making puns
March – sad bunny misses you
April – beachy birthday
May – challenging cutie pie
June – sketchy Father’s Day
July – hello chickadee
August – rock my world
September – welcome, little girl
October – hello, bee-utiful
November – extra love from Rhubarb

Awww. Revisiting those cards was fun! I’m looking forward to another year of sketches in 2012!

Here are the supplies for today’s card:
Digital Images: Eagle (K ‘n K Designs)
Cardstock: Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink); Brilliant Blue, Western Sky designer paper (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: printer ink
Other: Premier colored pencils (Prismacolor); odorless mineral spirits (Houston Arts); star mesh eyelets (Making Memories); D’vine Swirls embossing folder (ProvoCraft)

extra love from Rhubarb

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Nov 302011

Wow – it’s the end of November already! I had just enough time today to make a card for the November Sketch For You To Try. I kept true to the original sketch except for changing the shape of the focal panel. I also notched the ends of the sentiment strip. The color combo isn’t one I would normally come up with on my own, but I wanted to use the plaid paper and this is how it turned out. Rhubarb the bear’s heart is pieced from the same designer paper that I used for the sentiment strip.

Here’s the original sketch:

And now I have another card for Operation Write Home’s Archway Special Mission!

Supplies:
Digital Image: Rhubarb’s Heart (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Sentiment Stamp: Messages for Mom (Stampin’ Up)
Cardstock: Pear Pizzazz (SU); Basics White (Papertrey Ink); designer papers from Sugar Rush 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Onyx Black (VersaFine); printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); Labels Four Nestabilities die (Spellbinders)

hello, bee-utiful

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Oct 272011

Because the Hope You Can Cling To challenges at Splitcoaststampers are benefiting breast cancer patients at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, many of the challenge themes are related to things associated with breasts and cancer. One challenge presented earlier this week was titled “Save the Boo-Bees” . Using a pun on that nickname for breasts, we were challenged to make a card with bees on it. I took it as the perfect opportunity to finally use this cute tree image I’ve had for a while. After I stamped the tree, I masked it and sponged the sky and grass around it, and then colored the image with Copics. I used the mirror image of the October Sketch For You to Try layout for my card and kept it simple and straightforward with no poofy, lumpy embellishments.

Here’s the original sketch:

Supplies:
Stamps: Lucky You (Lizzie Anne Designs); Sanded (Stampin’ Up)
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Close to Cocoa, So Saffron (SU); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery (SU); Onyx Black (VersaFine)
Other: markers (Copic); twill ribbon (SU); sponges

OWH World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop!

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Oct 012011

Hello! I’m excited to be participating in the Operation Write Home World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop! I’ve enjoyed creating handmade cards over the last nine years. Donating them to Operation Write Home gives purpose to my creativity because it allows me to help provide our military men and women stationed overseas with a means to write home to their loved ones. It’s an easy way for me to show support for our heroes who sacrifice their time away from their homes.

OWH will be accepting cards for the winter holidays now through October 31, 2011, so this is a Christmas-themed blog hop. I used the September Sketch For You To Try layout for my card but shifted the sentiment panel to the right so it wouldn’t hide as much of the cute snowman paper. The house image with Santa’s boots sticking out from the chimney always makes me smile.

I hope you enjoy the hop and come back to visit my blog again! Click on the OWH badge at the top of this post to find out where you should hop next.

Supplies for today’s card:
Stamps: Holiday Lane (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory, Basic Black (Stampin’ Up); designer papers from Winter Wonderland paper pack (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (SU); Onyx Black (VersaFine)
Other: markers (Copic); white gel pen (Uniball); sponge

Older Entries

CAS Colours & Sketches #250 and Birthday Celebration!

dynamic merry & bright tree

sketchy Halloween, part two

dynamic sketchy Halloween

dynamic, sketchy, colorful dreams

you are amazing

sad puppy

DICC Guest Designer - no foolin'!

forget me not

distressing bananas with a sketch

dragonfly smiles

patriotic thanks

extra love from Rhubarb

hello, bee-utiful

OWH World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop!

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Design Team Experience

Really great links

Really great shopping

Some fun stuff

Thank you for visiting!

Follow me via email

Contact me

The Important Stuff

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Archives

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I heart