CAS Colours & Sketches #288 - Colour Challenge

This week's CAS colour challenge was an easy "make" for me.  I decided to use You've Been Framed die and mini stamp set from Papertrey Ink and the card came together pretty quickly.  The yellow polka dot paper was even a scrap in my drawer!  The oval of the sentiment panel hides a wonky cut across the top and the Night of Navy rectangle was a great anchor for the backdrop.

Hope you will stop by the CAS Colours and Sketches blog to see the DT use of our colours and then come and play along with us!

CAS Colours & Sketches #268 - Color Challenge

The colors Karen has picked for this week's CAS Colours and Sketches challenge gave me a chance to dig into my stamp stash.  I decided to ink up Pencil Me In from PTI - a stamp set I've had for years, but only used once.  The stitched die around the border is from Right at Home Stamps and I decided to add a little visual interest with Frontage and a few enamel dots.  Hope you will try your hand at this week's CC&S challenge.  Take a look at how my teamies have put their creative twist on this week's challenge here. 

Challenges Entered:
Pile It On #141 - Small and/or Pencils
Creative with Stamps - April CAS + sentiment
Less Is More #369/ - Bring Something Back

My Time to Craft #366 - Easter or Spring

I pulled out my new PTI Bunny Blessings stamp set and dies for the Easter/Spring theme of the latest My Time to Craft Challenge.  The outline bunny stamp is heat embossed in brown on watercolor paper with lots of brown inks layered for the look!  The eggs are stamped and my Copics were handy in making the grass.  The background is PTI's Mix and Mat Confetti Die, which I finally purchased and love it!! So cute, right?!?

We had a snow day on Monday, so the extra time in my craft room meant more time to play.  I started messing around with the stamps and came up with a second card using the more of the Bunny Blessings stamp set and a sentiment stamp from Polka Dot Parade #1 Mini Stamp Set .  I added a little dimension to the white bunny's ears with Copics.

Hope our theme inspires you to load a card in the My Time to Craft Gallery.  You have a fortnight to play!  Pop over and see what the DT has in store for you here!

Challenges Entered:
Brown Sugar #276/ - Spring/Easter
Crafty Catz #407/ - Layer it Up
Aud Sentiments #198/ - AG + sentiment
Cards 4 Galz #66/ - Furry Friends
Craft Rockets #46/ (March) - Something New
Creative Knockouts #235/ - Die Cuts or Punches
Crea Chicky March/ -  Easter
Creative w Stamps #24/ -March Bunnies

My Time to Craft Challenge #365 - Monochomatic

Mags wants us to use a Monochromatic theme for  Challenge #365 on the My Time to Craft Challenge Blog.  The directions are to pick a color and use variations on it.  This one is a happy accident for me. I started this card with a different challenge in mind, but there wasn't enough stamping.  All of the variations of mauve ended up to be perfect for this monochrome challenge.  The butterfly die cuts are treated with a touch of Copic marker and Wink of Stella for shine and the wings are rolled inward to give the butterflies dimension. 

Hope you will join us for the latest challenge on My Time to Craft!

Challenges Entered:
Cut It Up #142/ - AG
Aud Sentiments #197/ - For A Friend
Crafting with an Attitude #36/ - AG
A Bit More Time to Craft #62/ - AG
Monochrome Magic #8/ - AG

My Time to Craft #360 - Sketch Challenge

Meena created the sketch for  My Time to Craft Blog's Challenge #360.   My newest stamp purchase from PTI came to mind right away for my card- which uses masking and lots of layers.

The birch background is stamped using Fine Linen on white paper to create a background behind the the red vase from PTI's Flower Power Stamp Set.  I used the daisy-like flower as a poinsettias to make a seasonal design. The darker greenery and the vase are stamped directly on the same paper layer as the birch background.   I stamped the red poinsettias, white ball flower stems, and the round green leaves on separate paper, fussy cut them, and glued them onto the image panel.  The white poinsettia was stamped on kraft, treated with white heat embossing and popped out along with the center to add extra dimension.   An older PTI set was used for the sentiment as well.

I have a feeling I will get lots of use out of both of these new PTI stamp purchases!!

I hope you will find inspiration from the other MTTC DT members and play along with our challenge.  You have until December 15th to enter!

Challenges Entered:
PTI Make It Monday #305/ - Lots of Layers
Aud Sentiments #194/ - Christmas + a Sentiment
Through the Purple Haze #139- Layers/ (more than 3)
The Merry Christmas Challenge #45/ - AG

CAS Colours & Sketches - Challenge #247

The fifth Tuesday of the month means the CAS Colours and Sketches Blog has a double challenge for you!  Emily has a lovely color combination and a very simple sketch!  I knew what I wanted to do from the beginning, but had trouble executing my vision.  I wanted to stamp the PTI sentiment directly on white paper, but I had trouble with the stamp and my Mini-Misty (and then there was the lining it up multiple times!!).  I had more success with strips of paper and then decided to heat emboss with white.  It's definitely a CAS looking card!

Hope you will play along with us this week.  I can't wait to see what you do with Emily's sketch!

My Time To Craft Challenge #356 - Sympathy

I'm delighted to announce my debut as part of the My Time to Craft Challenge Blog DT.  I was so excited when Shell asked me to join the group.  One of the things that appealed to me about the MTTC Blog is using my stash to create cards for you, so I'm happy to share this sympathy card using an "oldie but goodie" stamp from PTI - Harvest Berries and a newer sentiment from PTI's Ways to Say Collection - With Sympathy.

I colored the branch and trimmed around the rectangle of white paper and mounted another rectangle of brown behind it as a frame.  My original idea was to use a Bravo Burgundy card base.  There was enough room on the white rectangle to mask the sentiment on two lines.  Well,  I was using a Cherry Cobbler stamp pad that was seven or eight year old (and noticed the tell-tale gold sheen on top of the stamp pad).  The red smeared when I mounted the panel on the card base!!  I was faced with the decision to either recolor the card or create Plan B - which you see here!  Stampin' Dimensionals are behind the branch - and my Cherry Cobbler ink pad is in the trash!!

I hope you will play along with our challenge this fortnight.  Sympathy cards are a little sobering to make, but they are always good to have on hand.  Before you get started, take a peek at the rest of the MTTC DT inspiration here.  You just might get bragging rights as one of our Top 3 and post the badge on your blog!  Hope to see you in the gallery!

Challenges Entered:
Crafty Catz #387/ - AG/optional CAS
Pattie's Creations #139 - Shades of Autumn
Creative Knockouts #214/ - AG
Addicted to Stamps #262/ - Make Your Mark

Guest Designer - Back to School!

I was invited to be a guest designer for Challenge #34 Back to School on the Craftaholics R Us Blog.  I chose to pair an image from A Day for Daisies called, Happy School House with the Pencil Me In from PTI.  Lots of red and yellow with the lined handwriting paper give this a great fall look.   This will be a card for my DIL next week when two of her three kiddos are back in school!

CAS Colours & Sketches #237 - Sketch Challenge

Back with a great sketch challenge this week for the CAS Colours and Sketches Blog.

A package from PTI's latest release arrived on my doorstep this week and the Beautiful Berries:  Autumn Stamp Set barely had time to be pulled from the box before I inked it up.! It was the perfect stamp set for this week's sketch.  In addition to the inks, I added some makers for additional depth of color to the image.  I love the triptych idea Karen has given us to play around with!  Take a peek at the DT's work here and then join us in the gallery!

Challenges Entered:
Crafting From the Heart #173 -AG
Paper Players #358 - CAS+ coloring
Use Your Stuff #276 - New Beginnings
A Bit More Time to Craft #50 - AG

CAS Colours & Sketches #236 - Colour Challenge

Welcome to this week's CAS Colours and Sketches blog.  Karen has some fun, happy colors for our challenge this week.  I pulled out an old PTI stamp, Modern Basics, by one of my favorite designers, Mailes Belles, for my main image and added a newer set from Lil' Inker Designs, called Whoops for the sentiment.  Fortunately, I had all three ink colors in my collection and once I settled on  the stamp set, decided to make a one layer CAS card.  My Misti was so helpful in making sure everything was well-inked!  The Calypso Coral looks a lot more orange in the photo than it does IRL.  Lots of white space and judicious use of the Bermuda Bay to keep your eye moving over the card helps this design!

Check out how the rest of the DT played with this week's colors and then join the CC&S challenge this week!

Challenges Entered:
Cards Und More #191 - One Layer Card
Stamping Senstations August - AG
Addicted to CAS #117 - One Layer Card

CAS Colours & Sketches #221 - Color Sketch

Happy May!  Samantha is our hostess this week and she has a fun color combination for all of us.

I am using a PTI set called, Botanical Blooms. The Rose is stamped on Melon Mambo paper, heat embossed in white, fussy cut and popped out over the Copic colored leaves.  A little Copic BG000 behind the leaves and a die cut sentiment complete the card.  Love how this turned out!

I hope you decide to play along with us at CAS Colours and Sketches this week!

Challenges Entered:
Always Fun Challenges #4/ - Flowers
Incy Wincy Designs/ - May 1-13 CAS
Crafting When We Can #143 - CAS
Glitter 'N Sparkle #237 - Flowers
Paper Players #342 - Tic Tac Toe (bottom row: pink, leaves, flower)

CAS Colours & Sketches #220 - Sketch Challenge

For this week's sketch for the CC&S Blog, I pulled out a very old set from PTI called Vintage Picnic.  There was enough going on with the background paper, I deliberately chose to keep my stamp for the image panel simple and uncluttered.  I love how this one turned out!

Thanks for Beverly for all of our April challenges.  Please pop by the CAS Colours & Sketches Blog to see what the rest of the DT has for inspiration!  So much eye candy!!  Hope to see you in the gallery this week!

Challenges Entered:
Always Fun Challenges #3 /- CAS
Stamping Sensations April/ - AG
Creative Fingers# 128/ - AG

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #394

Simon Says Stamp is our Sketch Saturday sponsor this week.  I love these weeks for so many reasons.  Their prize is a wonderfully generous $25 for the challenge winner!  My friend Maura lent me her Songbird stamp set and dies from PTI, so I pulled them out for this week's card.  Take a peek at the DT creations here, and then play along with Lesley's sketch.

Challenges Entered:
The Paper Shelter #230/ - Punches or Dies

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #382

Alex is our sketch designer this week.  I pulled out an old stamp set from PTI, called Autumn Hills for my card.  I stamped on Soft Stone and used my colorless blender to add pattern to the hills I colored.
Our DT had a variety of takes on her idea, so pop over to the Sketch Saturday Blog and see what the gals have for you.  It's a Simon Says Stamp! sponsor week - and the generous prize is a $25 credit to use at their shop!  I hope to see your work in the gallery!










Challenges Entered:
Creative Moments #78 - autumn colors
Time Out Challenge #41 - Inspired by Words (Autumn)
As You Like It - Oct. 8th - Color or monochrome (color, of course!! They make me happy!)
Creative Fingers #95 - AG
Pattie's Creations #115 - Fall or Halloween

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #371

Happy Saturday, Sketchers!  We have a new sketch from Deb this week to jump start your creativity.  Sketch Saturday is being sponsored by The Paper Shelter, with a $10 credit to their store to the challenge winner.

My card uses an old Papertrey set called, Warm Happiness.  Stop over at the Sketch Saturday blog and check out the DT creations, then play along!

Challenges Entered:
Little Miss Muffet #116/ - AG
Aud Sentiments #136/ - AG+ sentiment
Southern Girls7/16 /- Get Messy with Ink or paint

4 Crafty Chicks #255 - CAS

The 4 Crafty Chicks are looking for CAS cards for this week's challenge.  I have to admit that CAS cards usually take me as long as a card I color with my Copics.  Sometimes I find myself paralyzed with just starting.  This week's card came together super-fast for me.  I knew what I wanted to do right away and the card came out just as I pictured in my head.  No only that, but it's a one layer card - and I never do that because I usually mess up and have to cut something off!  Papertrey Ink's Good Times stamp set and matching die are used for my card.

Play along with the Chicks and post a CAS card for the gallery!

Challenges Entered:
Craft Your Passion #270/ - AG
Tuesday Throwdown #253/ - Tic Tac Toe (stamp die cut, enamel dot)
Addicted to Stamps #153 - Holiday
Aud Sentiments #136 - AG

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #358

Our Sketch Saturday teamie, Niki, is sponsoring the challenge this week with a lovely prize.  We were free to use our own images for this challenge and Deb's sketch whispered, "Go CAS," to me.   I needed to make a couple of baby cards, so I went to PTI's Text Block Baby die.  I mounted the die cut to a the patterned paper, so I could pop it out over the lace.  I used Wink of Stella over the die for a little subtle shimmer on the white.

CAS cards are truly a challenge for me.  My style is clean-lined but not necessarily simple.  True to form, I wanted to add other things to this card and came back to it a few times.  Each time, I could hear my friend Maura's voice say, "Step away from the card!"  She started friendly, and gradually got more firm!!

I'd love some feedback, especially if your style is CAS.  Is there something I can do to make this one of those, "Wow!" CAS cards?

Come and play along with us at Sketch Saturday this week.  Take a peek at the other DT cards here!

Challenges Entered:
Craft Your Passion #258/ - AG
Cards in Envy 4/20/ - Pink
Fab 'n' Funky #256 /- Lace
The Crafter's Cafe #113/ - Lace or Ribbon
The Paper Shelter #200 /- It's A Celebration
In the Pink #67/ - Make it Sparkle
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards #89/- Use a Die Cut

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #335

Happy Saturday! So glad you're here for another week's sketch. Simon Says Stamp! is this week's generous sponsor for our Sketch Saturday challenge.  Their prize is a $25 gift certificate to their store! We are so fortunate at Sketch Saturday to have them as a regular monthly sponsor.

And now for my take on Deb's fun sketch.   I'm really happy with how this one turned out.  The word "joy", the brown polka dot paper, the green and stone colored frames are inlaid. I fussy cut one of the Emerald Faerie elves I had already colored on my desk (a benefit of "practice" coloring images) and made him look like he was hanging onto the tail of the y.  Scraps from the "joy" paper of the die cut are used again for the diagonal strip.  White embossing powder, a few square metal embellishments and one enamel dot finish off the card.

 Visit the Sketch Saturday blog to see what the rest of the DT did with Deb's sketch.
























Challenges Entered:
Creative Moments #55 - AG
Digistamps 4 Joy #103 - AG
Party Time Tuesday #188 - AG
Scrapper's Delight #35 - AG
Sisters of Craft November - AG
Sister Act #82 - AG
Through the Craft Room Door 11/4-11/10 - AG

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #332

Back with a new sketch from Sketch Saturday this week.  This one was created by our gal, Debra.  I loved the simplicity of the sketch and decided to keep my card simple too.  Of course it helped to have a package waiting for me this week from PTI.  I've loved the birthday die for several months and tried to buy it a couple of times, but it was on backorder.  I have a feeling I'll be using this a lot for some quick and fun birthday cards.  The Stickles on top of the words (for some bling) look so much better IRL than on camera!

Bunny Zoe Crafts our sponsor.  Take a peek at the DT creations here and play along with us this week.









Challenges Entered:
Party Time Tuesdays #185/ - AG
Creative Moments #53/ - AG
4 Crafty Chicks #216 /- Birthday
Seize the Birthday /- AG Birthday
Creative Fingers #53 /- AG
Alphabet Challenge /- R is for Round or rectangle

Sister Act - Challenge #71

Happy Friday, Sister Act Friends!  Deasy Designs is our sponsor this week.

My card is another one that isn't typical for me!  This one was inspired by this card in Heather's gallery at Splitcoast Stampers.  She was a Featured Stamper and I chose her card to CASE.

I used a SU rustic polka-dot background stamp, PTI's Around and About Sentiments for the "thinking of you" for my stamping.  The die is from Simon Says Stamp and the daisies are an EK success punch that I added some shading with Copics.