CASology #269 GRID

Hello friends -

This week's CASology challenge is GRID. There are TONS of ways to take this cue so maybe this will be an easy week for you guys. FORTUNE last week was a challenge!

For my card I used GRID patterned paper from Authentique for my die cut flowers (MFT Stitched Flowers). I anchored them with a thin strip of Ocean Tides cardstock to match the sentiment.

The grid patterned paper is low-key and doesn't overpower the card. Just a simple pattern. 

Check out how the rest of the DT was inspired by GRID: 

Anna Uhras 

Deidre Payne

Hannelie Bester

Jacquie Southas

Janet Ribet 

Jen Wills

Joyce Mehrberg

Judy Marino

Kymona Tracey

Melissa Chipperfield

Rachel Bergfeld

Guest Designer:  Bobby

Its a crazy world out there and I think if we as card makers can bring a smile to someone's face even for a minute, we've done a good thing.  Have a great week! Thanks for stopping by.

SaveSave

CASology #246 SEASON

Hello friends! 'Tis the SEASON at CASology this week.

For my card I was inspired by the holidays and the 'Tis the Season' sentiment. I opted for non-traditional holiday colors for a more modern take. I cut a strip of patterned paper from Studio Calico Magical collectionand matted it with red cardstock to create a border on both sides. I adhered it to the center of a Spring Rain card base and added a banner strip embossed with the sentiment in red on it. 

So many ways to take season as you can see from what the DT has created this week - 

Deidre Payne
Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Janet Ribet 
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Rachel Bergfeld

Guest Designer:  Donna

and be sure to keep it clean and simple for a chance to win a prize from our 

Sponsor:  Uniko Studio

Card design inspired by CAS(E) This Sketch challenge this week. 

Hope you are inspired to create something SEASONal this week! Thanks for popping in. 

CASology #245 GROW

Happy Tuesday friends! Spring is in the air finally and we have the perfect cue word GROW. I can't help but think of flowers when I think of GROW. I am so excited for my hydrangeas to start blooming in my yard.

For my card, I wanted to use the new MFT Doodles Blooms set. Such pretty designs and amazingly super easy to heat emboss in white and cut out with the matching dies. I dry embossed a single stitched line around the perimeter of my card front. I hear embossed and cut three flowers and layered them on the side of a single stitch line rounded square frame (MFT) which I adhered in the middle of the card panel on an angle. I used foam tape on the smallest green flower for a little dimension and added three sequins around the flowers to create a visual triangle. The sentiment from PTI Keep It Simple is also stamped at an angle for added interest. 

Check out what the rest of the DT came up with for GROW this week: 

Deidre Payne (on a break)
Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Janet Ribet 
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Rachel Bergfeld

Guest Designer: Lisa

and be sure to keep it clean and simple to be eligible for a prize from our fabulous sponsor:

Sponsor:  STAMPlorations

Looking forward to seeing all the GROW creations in the gallery! Thanks for stopping by!

CASology #241 MELT

Hello friends! Spring has officially sprung and even though there is still a bit of snow on the ground, I'm so ready for the warm weather. This week's CASology challenge MELT has inspired me to channel a bit of a summer favorite around my house - popsicles.

For my card I used MFT Wonky Stitches on a white panel and stamped three popsicles from PTI Summer Sweetness in a two tone color combinations to make them extra yummy looking - Hibiscus Burst/Pure Poppy, Limeade Ice/Hawaiian Shores, and Summer Sunrise/Orange Zest. I stamped the sentiment from the Keep It Simple series across the popsicle sticks. 

For a little extra special touch and to show the popsicles 'melt' a little, I added a coat of clear embossing over each popsicle to give them a shiny, wet look. Looks so fabulous and pretty in real life. 

Be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has created....I'm sure they will inspire you too! 

Deidre Payne

Hannelie Bester

Hazel Hodgkins

Jacquie Southas

Janet Ribet 

Jen Wills

Joyce Mehrberg

Judy Marino

Kymona Tracey

Melissa Chipperfield

Rachel Bergfeld

Sponsor:  STAMPlorations

Can't wait to see how you interpret MELT in our gallery.....thanks for stopping by! 

SaveSave

Papertrey Ink Rewind

Hi - My girls have been a little under the weather this weekend so I've gotten some crafty time in. Unfortunately the weather here in NJ is gorgeous and they've spent most of the time in bed. So glad that I got to play along with the pre-anniversary celebration at Papertrey AND continued building up my birthday card stash.

First card uses Tulip Time from 2016 which is a gorgeous but often forgotten set in my stash. Love the layered detail on the tulips which are my favorite flower. Must bust this set out more often!
I stamped the base of the flower in the new Lilac Grace ink (a new favorite!) and the detail in Royal Velvet. I added a strip of matching washi tape along the bottom and rounded the corners of the card panel.

Next up is a card using the Life is Beautiful butterfly set from 2014. Another set I adore but forget I have. I stamped a row of butterflies in Dark Indigo, Ocean Tides, and Aqua Mist interchanging the insides. Love how these three colors work together. Added a strip of Dark Indigo paper at the bottom as a grounding element. 

Brushed Blooms from 2015 is the focus of my next card. I sound like a broken record but I LOVE this set too! I stamped a pattern of flowers in Raspberry Fizz with Pure Poppy on top. Leaves stamped in Soft Stone with Smokey Shadow for the detail. I used a Simon Says Stamp die to cut the panel on a rounded diagonal. Sentiment from Perfect Pairing stamped on a banner. 

2011 brought this cute little guy from Winter Penguin. Kept to the birthday theme instead of the winter-themed sentiments in the set. I stamped a Swoosh from the Mini Blooms set and added the penguin. (Oops just realized I forgot to color in his nose and toes! Gonna do that after this post but can't take another picture since the natural light is quickly fading) Balloons are from Heart-2-Heart set #2 and sentiment from Keep It Simple. 

I didn't have any of the featured sets from 2010 so I used Tulip Time again for my card inspired by THIS fabulous card from Erin Lincoln. I love her monochromatic blue and white scheme and kept my card relatively simple. Stamped tulip in Fresh Snow and added Dark Indigo on top for the detail. Sentiment again from Keep It Simple:Birthday (though there are 3 of them so not sure which since I mixed all the sets together). I added a simple MFT Wonky Stitches border for some added interest. 

And last but not least is my throwback to 2007 with Out to Sea. My husband is a Coast Guard Reservist so made this card for him. I stamped the anchor in Fresh Snow and sentiments in Dark Indigo on Kraft panel which I die cut a stitched border around and then matted it with another stitched border panel in Dark Indigo and then adhered to a white card base also with a stitched border. Love the simplicity of this one. 

Ok, that's it for me for the PTI Anniversary throwback celebration! Can't wait to check out all the new creations. Definitely gave my stash a whirl and reminded me of all the great sets I have. Thanks for popping in! 

Birthday Bonanza

Happy Saturday! Been trying to build up my birthday card stash. The weather is gorgeous here in NJ today so gonna make this post quick so I can get outside. 

First card is inspired by this month's Heart Desires Challenge. The inspiration photos seem perfect for my new PTI Country Fair Quilt Block die which I paired with various Echo Park papers.  I adhered the two blocks at a diagonal and stamped the KIS:Birthday sentiment in the middle. I did put together another card with the remaining pieces I cut and I'll post that later.

Next card is inspired by my friend Tracey's card at the MUSE challenge this week. I was inspired by the multiple colors of Tracey's card so I stamped the Clearly Besotted Sunbursts on a white card panel like she did. I also nestled my black sentiment in the middle but added a black matting to the panel to make it stand out a little (like Tracey's sentiment panel does among her rainbow medicine bottles). 

Last card is for PTI's 2013 challenge to use the Ruby Rose set. Ruby Rose is one of my favorite floral sets and I used it along with its companion set Ruby Rose Reprise to create this card below. 

I stamped a perimeter of flowers from Ruby Rose and Ruby Rose Reprise around a white card base in a fabulous color combo featured in one of PTI's downloadable inspirational color combos - Blueberry Sky, Aqua Mist, and Lavender Moon with leaves in Green Parakeet. I stamped the sentiment from PTI Scripted in the middle, added a diagonal striped Aqua Mist matting around it before mounting on Blueberry Sky card base. Love how feminine it looks despite its unusual color combo. 

More to come! Hope you are having a good weekend! Thanks for stopping by! 

SaveSave
SaveSave

Freshly Made Color Throwdown

One of my New Year's resolutions was to carve out some more time to create. So far so good for January!

First card I'm sharing was inspired by the colors at the Color Throwdown challenge this week -

I used the new PTI Medallion Trio set I got this week so I'm also entering this into Darnell's NBUS challenge as well. So many pretty possibilities with this set...and you know how I LOVE medallion images! Sentiment is from PTI Banner Sentiments.

Second card was inspired by the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches challenge. 

I die cut various balloon dies (SSS and PTI) in fun happy colors. Sentiment from PTI Keep It Simple. I have two versions - balloon strings....

and no balloon strings. I hand drew them in and anytime I do something free hand, it always looks strange to me. I don't know what happened to my hand when I was drawing the string for the pink balloon! 

Hope you've gotten some time in your crafty space lately! Feels good to something not related to kids, the house, or work! Have a great week and thanks for stopping in! 

PTI Blog Hop January 2017

The 25th of the month is one of my favorite days because its time for the PTI Blog Hop. I'm excited because I haven't been able to play for a few months. 

The inspiration photo is filled with lots of bold color against the black and white. I was drawn the the cookie at the bottom of the photo.

I cut a piece of striped patterned paper from Echo Park and adhered it on an angle on the lower half of the card. I cut a strip of PTI Lovely Lady and stamped the sentiment from KIS:Birthday. I added the Happy (from One Liner dies) on top. Flowers and leaves from Ruby Rose and Friendly Flowers are cut and heat embossed in clear for a little shine.

Every month I'm always amazed at how differently everyone is inspired by the inspiration photo and can't wait to see what everyone else came up with. 

Thanks so much for stopping in! Have a great day. 

CASology #222 WELCOME

Happy Tuesday! WELCOME. There are many ways to take this week's CUE. Welcome baby came to my mind first thing but I don't really need baby cards these days as my friends are well past the new baby stage.

I needed a card to thank my friend and her family for a wonderful long weekend we had at their home in Rhode Island.

I used the trees rom PTI City Scene to create a monochromatic row of green trees. Monochromatic color scheme keeps things simple. I stamped the larger Thank You sentiment from Keep It Simple THANKS across the tree trunks and the rest of the sentiment (from Thanks All Ways) along the bottom. I die cut the whole panel with the Simon Says Stamp Postage Stamp die and adhered to a green card base from AMuse. 

You're WELCOME to check out the rest of the creations from the Design Team - 

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Deidre Payne
Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Tracey McNeely

Guest Designer:  Anna

and check out our sponsor this week - 

Sponsor:  Cindy B Designs

Can't wait to see where WELCOME takes you and remember to keep it clean and simple in order to be eligible for the fabulous prize from Cindy B Designs. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

CASology #200 CAS

Its a big week at CASology - we're celebrating our 200th challenge! YAY! I'm so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful team.  

So what could be more fitting for this week's celebration than CAS as our cue word? Just as a reminder, CAS means clean and simple which is: 

1. One main image

2. Lots of open space--uncluttered

3. Limited layers and embellishments

4. Quick and easy to recreate (note--it may take a long time to get a design you like, but once you have that design, making more should be a piece of cake)

For my card, I used these fun speech bubbles from Lawn Fawn's Birdie Told Me set in different colors. I stamped them along one side to maintain open space and added two sentiments in two of the bubbles. 

So, we don't have a prize sponsor this week but to celebrate CASology's 200th, several members of the DT will be offering blog candy. Each DT member who is participating will select a random commenter from their blog who also linked up a card at CASology. Winners will be announced on each DT blog as well as on the CASology blog next Tuesday. 

Check out the fabulous CAS creations of the rest of the team - 

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Deidre Payne
Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Sherrie  --- you are here
Tracey McNeely

Guest Designer:  Diana

My prize is this Spellbinders Square die set and this set of Jennie Bowlin butterflies. I usually make my own die cut butterflies but sometimes you need a ready-made embellishment for a quick card so these vellum butterflies are fabulous. 

Now it's your turn! Remember to leave a comment here AND link up a card at CASology for a chance to win my blog candy! Can't wait to see what you come up with! 

Thanks for visiting and hope you'll come again soon! 

CASology #196 MOVE

Hello! Hope you are having a great week! Tuesday means we have a new CASology challenge. This week its MOVE.

I chose to make a Congratulations on your New Home card. I used a wooden stamp from Hero Arts that features a row of six houses. I inked each one separately and spritzed the stamp lightly with water before stamping it on watercolor paper. Sentiment is from PTI Keep It Simple Congratulations.

There are lots of fun ways to interpret this as you'll see with the design team creations....

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Deidre Payne
Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Tracey McNeely

 Sponsor:  Cindy B Designs

Guest Designer:  Janet

Can't wait to see what you come up with. Thanks for stopping by! 

CASology #193 PINK

Happy Tuesday! Its time for a new CASology challenge.
This one is gonna have to tickled PINK! LOL.

Despite having three little girls, I rarely use pink in my crafting so I was very excited for this challenge. I wanted to use a few pinks - the more the better right? I cut the Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangles die three times using PTI Raspberry Fizz, Lovely Lady, and Hibiscus Burst. I stamped the simple sentiment from Keep It Simple series before cutting each rectangle into three. 

I pieced them all together so all three colors were represented making three different cards. Pretty easy really and the monochromatic colors pack a pretty punch. 

Be sure to check out the other PINK creations from our Design Team:

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Deidre Payne
Hannelie Bester
Hazel Hodgkins
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Judy Marino
Kymona Tracey
Melissa Chipperfield
Tracey McNeely

and our Guest Designer:Shanna and our fabulous sponsor Serendipity Stamps. 

Can't wait to check out your PINK creations this week. Thanks for stopping by.