Clean and Simple

I've been intriqued lately by CAS, in other words "clean and simple". Reminds me of the stamping that I loved many years ago before there were all the tools and embellishments that we use today to create cards. They are also great for mailing, no extra costs for bulky layers!!!!

So I thought I would give it a try by doing a card that encompasses the Wings challenge at Addicted to CAS and also the Colour blocking challenge at CAS-ual Fridays.

click to enlarge pic



 

First of all, I created a stencil template by measuring off 1-1/4" squares across a piece of scrap cardstock, and punching the squares with my SU punch. Then I sponged Tumbled Glass, Spiced Marmalade, and Shabby Shutters distress ink in the square openings on a fresh piece of white cardstock.

In black Memories ink, I stamped the butterfly collage (Kaisercraft "Botanical) over the sponged squares. I also used a Sizzix Letterpress plate "Festive Swirls" on the bottom of the white area. The verse is an older acrylic stamp - sorry can't say who makes it.

For dimension, I stamped a small butterfly, coloured with Copics, punched out with a Martha Stewart punch,  dabbed a bit of Black Stickles on the body, and mounted it on the corner of the card.

Sharon
March 9, 2012

Challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays CFC93  - Colour Blocking

Addicted to CAS#8- Wings

Butterfly Tag

Ok, here's the scoop! I wasn't happy with the card I made for Brenda's challenge at Floral Fantasies for her blog anniversary. So I gave it another attempt with a tag.

All the stamps are by Tim Holtz. I used his tag die and small baroque die to cut the shapes from Deena's Penny Lane "Free Bird Leaves of Love" by My Minds eye.  This green paper is already printed with leaves and brown weeds, sort of like the background of Brenda's blog header. I cut the baroque layer from the reverse side of this paper on which I embossed the imagination verse, more weeds stamped in Walnut Stain and Crushed Olive DI, with Crushed Olive and Vintage Photo sponged on the edge. The butterflies are in Barn Door.

I used Tim's Tattered  Flower die to cut the "poppy" from verse printed paper, then I dabbed Barn Door distress stain over the surface and spritzed with Biscotti Perfect Pearls. A black button and some gold stickles makes the centre of the flower.

The butterfly is a Memory Box die cut from a scrap of yellow printed paper on which I sponged Barn Door and Walnut Stain. 

The brown detailed corner is a Sizzix die "Architectural Accents". A bit of green ruffled ribbon at the bottom and crushed silk ribbon at the top completes the tag.

click to enlarge pic

I  am pleased with this tag and think it better reflects the colours and theme of Brenda's blog header!

Sharon
March 3, 2013

Challenges:

Floral Fantasies  Blog Challenge

Simon Says - Anything Goes

Bright Butterfly

I was invited to join a "blog anniversary" challenge by Brenda at Floral Fantasies blog who is celebrating 4,000 followers since starting her blog over four years ago. Quite an achievement!

 

Anyhow the rules are quite simple.. simply interpret her blog header- whether it is the colours, flowers, or whatever else one sees in the picture.

Since I don't have any poppy stamps, I chose the butterfly.  I'm sorry to say that I do not know who makes the stamp on my card. It looks like Magenta style? The embossed image was given me quite some time ago in a swap and I just came across it the other night when going through my stash. When I saw the butterfly in Brenda's header, I grabbed for this image to colour. Now I realize her colours are mostly red, yellow and green, and I coloured the echinachea flowers in shades of pink, but I hope the "theme" of butterfly and flowers will qualify.

Since the image is so large and colourful, I choose to make a relatively simple card adding just one backing layer of Bo Bunny dotted green, some fushia silk ribbon, and an embellie (Tim Holtz idealogy acrylic tag, and a tile image from Bottle Cap Inc. that I sponged with Shabby Shutters distress ink). I also added black Doodlebug Sugar Coating glitter to the body of the butterfly. The edge is distressed and sponged with Vintage Photo DI.

click to enlarge

Brenda is allowing up to three entries, so I may have another go at her challenge when I get the chance.

Sharon
March 3/2013

Bicycle Lady

This is a birthday card for my hubby's sister. Usually I do her a card with birds or butterflies and wanted to do something different this year.  While I was going through my verses and stamps, hubby liked this verse, so I designed the card around it instead of picking the image first!

The bicycle lady, paris circle, and Columbia bicycle advert are from an unmounted 5"x7" sheet by Victorine Originals . The verse is Penny Black by Mo Manning diecut with a Stamping Up punch. Also used a clear acrylic postcard verse stamp.

To give a shabby chic look, I distressed the edges of the background layer (a piece of printed paper from my stash) on which is stamped a script verse, and smudged with Tumbled Glass, Scattered Straw, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo distress inks. Also distressed the Columbia advert.

I made the  flower from tissue paper with Tim Holtz Tattered Flower dye, sponged with Tumbled Glass and Tea Die, stamped with a script verse in blue, spritzed with Biscotti Perfect Pearl Mist. A brown ribbon rose sits in the centre.

Some vintage lace also adds to the shabby chic look.

click to enlarge pic

Sharon
March2/2013

Challenges:

Sugar Creek Hollow - Lovely Lace

Simon Says  - Anything Goes

Allsorts - For a Lady

Tim Holtz: Tattered Flower Challenge

Spring card for friend

Yesterday I made this card for a friend in the States. We plan our vacations together to meet each year in Anna Maria Island, Florida. I was thinking of spring coming so I choose bright colours.



click to enlarge
 

Supplies used:

-Just Rite Stamp "Butterfly  Botanicals" CR-02245 & Black Memories Ink
- Spellbinders lacey circle die
-Bazill paper
-Martha Stewart butterfly punch, and quilted edge punch
- Quickutz Flourish die
-May Arts Silk Ribbon
-JillBean Soup paper "Blossom Soup" scraps
-Copic markers
-Pearl Brads, and Pink Stickles Glitter

Sharon
Feb.14/2013

Challenges:

Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #66 - Spring Colours and Ribbon

Valentine - New dies

Today I made a valentine card with two new dies - Grand Madison Window by Memory Box, and Winter Wreath by Die-namics (www.mftstamps.com). I think this wreath die will come in handy as I will be able to adapt it for different seasons by adding snowflakes, fall leaves, etc.

First of all, I used a brick wall embossing folder to create the background on caramel SU paper. Then I sponged and layered colour with Tim Holtz Tea  Dye, Vintage Photo, Aged Mahogany and Fired Brick distress inks

Behind the cream window die, I cut a piece of white cardstock, lightly marked off the four panes of the window and used the C3 Light Grey Copic marker to draw some streaks resembling highlights on window glass. Over this, adhered a piece of clear acrylic for the "glass", then the window die on top,
With a little heart punch I cut out hearts from the same red cardstock as in the card. The wreath I cut from some brown Bazzill in my remnant stash.  I also glued a heart embellie on to a heart with some gold twine, and this dangles freely from the sheer heart ribbon bow at the top of the card.

The verse is from a set by Tattered Angels " Timeless Romance".

click to enlarge

Sharon
Jan.31/2013

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

The Perfect Sentiment #64 - Anything Goes with a DieCut

Crafty Ribbon #38 - Anything Goes with Ribbon

Another Valentine

Here is another valentine  -this one "shabby chic" style for my friend Wendy. I had a nice visit and cup of tea yesterday with her.

The heart verse is a new cling by Stampendous. I also stamped along the bottom edge of the heart with a "grunge" style  stamp; cut out with spellbinders die; sponged with TH Fired Brick and Tea Dye distress inks; finally spritzed with Tattered Angels Irridescent Gold spray.  I also cut out a scalloped layer of red organza to place on top of the red card stock. It gives the heart a nice shimmery finish on the scallop edging. A heart "bling" stone is attached to the bottom.

The beige rectangle layer is a die cut;  however, I stamped it with a Tim Holtz postcard cling stamp on the right side and sponged with Vintage Photo. Attached vintage lace to the bottom and added two tiny silk roses tied with sheer ribbon.

The background papers I had in my stash are distressed, sponged with distress ink, then I machine stitched around the edge.

click to enlarge pic

Sharon
Jan.30/2013

Fashionable Stamping Challenge #40 - Show some Love

Simon Says Challenge - Anything  Goes

Penny Black Valentine

This card is for my sister who loves her cats.   I've had this stamp for many years now, and I think I might have given this to Dana before. Let's hope she doesn't remember. LOL! (Penny Black "Sweet Love" #2292K)

The image is coloured with Copic markers and some Red stickles used to highlite parts on the cupcakes. Spellbinder die. Heart lace punch by Martha Stewart. 

Tag is a die  by Just Rite - "Antique Labels"and verse stamp is by Hampton Art.  I sponged the edge of the tag with Tim Holtz Festive Berries, and am disappointed to see that in the pic it looks more salmon pink than berry pink.  I tried different settings on my camera and couldn't get a true shade.
Sigh!




click to enlarge pic

Sharon
Jan.26/2013

Penny Black & More at Allsorts Love is in the Air

City Crafter Challenge Blog #143 - Forever Mine

Heart Shaped, Standing Valentine Card

I wanted to make a heart shaped, standing card, so after looking through my cricut cartridges, I choose a scalloped heart from the "Love Struck" cartridge. Decide on the size of heart you want - mine is 4-3/4" across at the widest part. Copy it to have two hearts on the screen mat, reverse one and move it over so that it is on top of the first heart slightly overlapping, then use the "weld" feature to make the fold. That part was easy!

Here was the challenge. I didn't take into account that because of the pointed bottom of the heart, the card won't stand. It flopped over, especially after adding all the elements.  So I came up with the idea of using little heart "feet" (spellbinder dies)  Works great!  For some extra stability, I also glued little 1/2" folded tabs on the inside bottom of the card to make a stand- sorry I forgot to take a pic of this.

The stamps I used (verse, key and cupid postage) are from a Tattered Angels set "Timeless Romance".

The key was stamped in versamark on black cardstock and covered with Wow Platinum embossing glitter. This stuff is so pretty with it's extra bling! Then I fussy cut it,  adhered some vintage lace along the edge of the key, and mounted with foam tape on an angle.

Valentine verse is embossed with black EP, cut out and placed on a Spellbinders tag. I also glued on a little pearl heart at the end of the tag.

Cupid postage is also embossed with black EP, coloured with Copic markers, and Red stickles added over the number 14.

Crocheted flower is from Stampin'Up with a silver and pearl brad added to the centre.

I must say, I am pleased with the vintage look of this heart card!

click to enlarge pic

close-up of Wow embossing glitter

Sharon
Jan.25/2013

Really Reasonable Ribbon #64 Hearts,  Ribbon/Lace

City Crafter challenge Blog "Forever Mine"

Top Tip Tuesday - Laviciously Lushious Layers  Tip - use heart feet to help a heart card stand

Happy New Year!

Hubby and I just came in from a long walk ...It's very cold out (-10C) with a light dusting of snow on the ground, yet sunny and no wind.  Outside it sounds so quiet after two days of a fierce northeast wind blowing. However, it feels good to get a bit of exercise after all the holiday eating.

I made a cup of tea and started reading through all the blogging news that I've missed in the past few days.  I was so excited to see that my LaBlanche Santa card was chosen as #1 for Fashionable Stamping Challenges #37 Mask it, and also top three in Party Time Tuesday Colour Challenge #99.

Wow,what a terrific way to start off the crafting year. Thanks to all the design team members on these challenges and congrats to the other winners as well. Very nice work.

Here's wishing everyone lots of creative, happy stamping in 2013!

Sharon
Jan.1/2013