CASology #244 STRONG

Hi friends - Its been a while since I posted. Unfortunately a minor flood in my basement (where my craft area is) caused chaos in my craft space and a cleanup that took a week. But fortunately, I have recovered from all that and have been able to get back to creating.

This week's CASology cue word is STRONG. I thought of making a sympathy card sending someone strength during a difficult time. I thought of using a strong image like a big tree as my focal point. But in the end I wanted to create a card using a new favorite sentiment from the PTI Making Strides set. I used the diagonal striped block arrow image from the PTI Monthly Moments: Tabbed set in a rainbow of pretty colors all pointing upward to indicate movement and positive thinking. I stamped them all along the fold side to preserve the white space in the rest of the front.

Be sure to check out how STRONG inspired our DT 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:  Sarah

Sponsor:  Kitty Bee Designs

So how will YOU interpret STRONG for this week's challenge?  Can't wait to see what you come up with. Be sure to keep it clean and simple for a chance to win a prize from our fabulous sponsor Kitty Bee Designs. 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous week! 

PTI Blog Hop Feb 2017

Hello - So glad to be playing along with the PTI Blog Hop this morning. Such a great inspiration photo...such rich colors! I know I wanted to incorporate Raspberry Fizz, Royal Velvet, Saffron Spice, and Scarlet Jewel into my two cards. 

For my first card I used the well-loved but often forgotten Feather Finery set. The texture of some of purple fruits in the photo reminded me of feathers. I stamped a row of feathers inking them in two of the colors I found in the photo. I heat embossed the sentiment from Think Big in gold across the feathers. 

Second card I used the same 'double dipped' technique with the feathers and a different Think Big sentiment in the center embossed in gold. But this time I wanted to mount it on Royal Velvet cardstock. Seemed too simple just like that so I used the dotted feather detail in the Fine Feathery set to create a gold dotted border around the perimeter. Pretty right? 

I added the panel with the feathers on top. But I kinda like the gold perimeter as is, maybe with a sentiment embossed in the middle..gonna have to try that. 

That's it for me. Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait to see what everyone else created. Happy hopping!

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! 

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Celebrating Papertrey 2008, 2009, & 2012

Hello friends -

Checking in today with a few cards I made over the last couple of days to celebrate Papertrey's 10 year anniversary. Each day this week, they highlighted each year they've been in business and challenged us to make a card by one of the sets they highlighted or a card inspired by one of the DT creations.

I don't own any of the featured stamps for 2012 but was inspired by Keeway's amazing card made with Sentiment Signs. I used Ombre Sentiments instead of Sentiment Signs and hear embossed the birthday sentiment on watercolor paper and carefully watercolored over each word. I also splattered over the rest of the paper, though it ended up a tad bit more than the original card. 

My second card celebrates a fabulous set from 2009 - Giga Guidelines. I love the medallions in this set. On my card, I stamped the medallion in Pinefeather on Aqua Mist cardstock. I nestled the sentiment from Banner Sentiments in between the medallions. I finished it off with some a few colored pearls for the centers. 

Last card for tonight highlights Bitty Baby Blessings from 2008. My twin daughters' PE teacher left this week on maternity leave. She's having twin boys so I made this card for her to go along with a couple of Dr. Seuss books. I die cut two onesies in masculine patterned paper. I embossed MFT Wonky Stitches around the perimeter of the white card base and added a few enamel dots. 

Have a couple more cards to share but gonna wait until tomorrow for some natural light to take the photos. Be back soon. Thanks for stopping by! 

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CASology #229 TOAST

Hello friends -

Its nearing the end of 2016...what a year this has been! Almost time for a fresh beginning with 2017 so we thought it would be great to end the year with TOAST, as in toast to the new year!

I've been piling up a stash of NBUS (Never-Before-Used Schtuff if you aren't familiar with crafty great Darnell's term). 

I stamped a row of martini glasses (from SSS Adult Beverages set) in some of my new Papertrey Ink colors.  Love Saffron Spice! Instead of stamping the sentiment, I embossed the PTI Congratulations die across the martini glasses. Love how it adds some subtle texture without bulk.  

I matted the stamped panel on Olive Twist cardstock before adhering to Saffron Spice card base. 

Check out what my fabulous teammates have created inspired by TOAST. 

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:  Susan

Sponsor:  STAMPlorations

  
**This is a 2-week challenge due to the holidays!**

I'd also like to TOAST to you, who read my crafty blog and take the time to comments. I always appreciate your sweet words. Can't wait to see what you create for TOAST. Don't forget this challenge runs 2 weeks and be sure to keep it clean and simple! 

Happy New Year! 

CASology #227 SPACE

Hello friends! Its time for a CASology challenge - SPACE. When I think of space, I think of white space which is a key element of clean and simple design. I try to add interest to white space using tone on tone layering or stamping, dry embossing, or adding texture. My new favorite way of adding texture is to use embossing paste with a stencil. Don't be intimidated by embossing paste. Its relatively easy to use and once you get the hang of using it, you'll turn to it again and again! 

For my card I temporarily adhered one of the PTI Modern Background stencils to white cardstock base (using painters tape) and masked off the portion of the stencil that I did not want to use. I wanted to create a modern looking 'snowflake'. On a little painters palette, I mixed a spoonful of Wendy Vecchi translucent embossing paste with a bit of Ranger Perfect pearls (Perfect Pearl color) and applied it to the area of my stencil to create this cool design. 

Slowly remove the stencil off the card so the design doesn't get smudged and set aside to dry. I stamped a simple holiday greeting underneath because the stenciled design reminded me of a snowflake. 

The Perfect Pearls add a gorgeous sheen to the paste and it brings a subtle color while still preserving overall white space. 

Also playing along at Paper Players this week with my "snowflake" design. 

Be sure to check out the other takes on SPACE this week at CASology - so fun varied! 

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:  Jessica

Sponsor:  Pink & Main 

Hope you'll play along with this week for a chance to win a prize from Pink & Main. Be sure to check them out. Thanks for stopping by! 

Masters Stamp-A-Faire #1

I'm playing along with all the fun at PTI's Stamp-A-Faire festivities today. The Design Team is presenting projects inspired by the greatest artists in history. Lots of good stuff! 

My first card is for the Masters Color Recipes challenge where we had a variety of art & color palettes to choose from. Back in 6th grade, my art teacher gave us an assignment to select a work of art and try to replicate it. I chose a bold work of art created by Mark Rothko back then so I was excited to see one of his pieces among the choices today. Love the graphic nature of this piece as well as the bright colors. 

I created a square panel blended with Terracotta Tile, Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise, and Raspberry Fizz. I matted it on black cardstock before adhering to a white card base.  Sentiment from Graceful Greetings. 

Second card is for Danielle's Gilded Gold challenge. I didn't buy the Liquid Leaf in advance so I made a card embossed with gold leaves! I used one of the leaves from Mighty Oak and embossed a random pattern on Pale Peony. My only regret is that I embossed the leaves first before stamping the sentiment so I had to fit the sentiment in afterward. 

Hoping to create a few more cards after the kids go to bed tonight so I may be back with another post tomorrow. Can't wait to see what everyone is creating! Thanks for stopping by! 

CAS(E) This Sketch & ColourQ

Wanted to post two cards before I get the kids off to school. This first card is for the CAS(E) This Sketch challenge which ends shortly.

I used PTI Brushed Off in Enchanted Evening, Blueberry Sky, and Spring Rain. 

Second card is for the ColourQ challenge this week. I heat embossed the large bloom, flower center and leaf from Winnie and Walter. I sponged PTI Winter Wisteria ink on the large bloom and Simply Chartreuse on the leaf. 

Gotta run! Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! 

Make It Monday #232

Checking in one last time today before I start cooking for Thanksgiving.

Here's a quick card I made inspired by PTI Make It Monday challenge this week - layered stamping on kraft. Wanted to try this with something other than flowers or snowflakes which I've done before.

I stamped a few wine glasses in bold colors slightly offset from the white glass. Looks pretty cool in real life. Love this sentiment from this Uncorked set which I heat embossed on a stitched tag (with the tag part cut off). I put the panel on a kraft card base using foam tape which I think gives the card another special effect. Inside is stamped with sentiment and glass as well. 

Thanks for taking a peek. Have a great weekend!