Addicted to CAS #306

 

I cannot say I am "addicted" to Clean and Simple Cards but I greatly admire them. I struggle with them, but the current challenge is a postage theme and I am a sucker for mail-related items. Some of my first red rubber stamps way back when were postoids (faux postage) and quite artsy. Still have 'em!

I ended up with TWO cards from this challenge - using a positive die cut and negative. First up - Stampington & Co's Large Cancellation stamped in soft grey and framed with the leftover scalloped
frame from another postage project.

I diecut the Pinkfresh blooms out of the background, and then inlaid the diecut back into the hole, and added purple bits to the blooms.

A little dry embossed hello strip serves as the greeting.

My friend Sandy Phillips recently posted a swap card where she deckle-edged the negative space from die-cutting to frame the "hole"and I thought it was a great idea. 

I used microglitter in shades of lilac and green to fill in the negative space. This is called Burnished Velvet Technique. I burnished (rubbed) the glitter into double-sided tape and in real life it sparkles quite nicely. Some Waffle Flower postage stamps finished off the card.

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #306; Addicted to Stamps & More #515.

Doggone Birthday Card

Here is a sweet and simple dog-themed birthday card, perfect for a fellow who likes dogs. I fussy-cut the dog out of white cardstock, and the cake. Coloured with Copic markers.

 

I am entering this in the Seize the Birthday blog challenge for Anything Goes.

Sentiments

 

At Splitcoaststampers the Way to Use It Challenge was to use Wise Words. I have two cards to share.

The gold-foiled sticker provided the "Go with your heart" sentiment on this faux carved wood background with a popped-up butterfly.

This is the sentiment I usually use for baby cards, but it worked well for this pet sympathy card, too. Thanks for visiting.

All White - 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge

 

The current challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is:

I think the secret to a good all-white card is to go one of two extremes - either super smooth, clean and simple - or lots of layers and texture. Guess what I went for? I ended up making two cards. I will show you the one I entered in the challenge first, but it is was not my first attempt.

This is a combo of a snowflake frame embossing folder and a die cut "JOY" all in white cardstock. I blinged it up with pearls but i did not have any that were loose. I had to cut these apart from a long embellishment border, peel them off the adhesive backing and glue them down. It was tedious, so I won't be doing that again.

My first effort - while technically all-white - proved that not all white items are the same shade of white! 

The background was white vellum that I ran through a Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder. The white cardstock I used for the JOY had a slight shimmer to it that reads pale grey in the photo, and the letters were in white glitter cardstock but the glitter looks a little green in real life and pink in the photo. I added extra layers of glittered holly, flowers and berries. Once I saw the photo, I knew I needed to make a second one that was truer all-white.

I am also entering this in the Anything Goes Challenge at Love to Craft Challenge Blog.

Tagged Birthday

 

The current challenge at Seize the Birthday is a birthday card (as usual) with the optional topping to add a tag. This 5X7 inch card relies on pretty 49th & Market Viken Rub-on Transfers for the imagery.

Some sheer purple ribbon and string provided a great place to put this wee tag with a gold-foiled birthday cake.

I used some selective embossing to get a border of Swiss Dots to ground the collage.

Leftover rub-on transfers tie the inside to the outside.

Check out the other tagged birthday card ideas at Seize the Birthday.

Best Fishes

Over at Seize the Birthday the current challenge #322 asks for the topping of:

This card is a standing card that has an accordion fold in the base to insert clear acetate layers. I added fronds of seaweed and stamped fish to compliment the die cut aperture. The back panel is a watercoliured background I created with smooshed Distress Inks and Lindy's Magicals powdered pigments.

The back of the tentfold card was embossed with waves and I added this sentiment:

 

A Leafy Hi

 

Recently I read or watched a couple crafters who brought two points forward: 1) Shop your stash. Use something you haven't used in ages - or ever! and 2) Who needs patterned paper when you can make your own?

I had this in mind when I made this card. I used a two-part leafy stencil I have had so long - and never used - and cannot recall where I got it. It is The Stamp Market brand. I added dots using another stencil and Lisa Horton Cloud 9 Crimson Cheer interference ink. It dries back to a lovely coral.

I used a scalloped rectangle die from Taylored Expressions for the frame. I adorned that with some Altenew Leaves. The frame is popped up with foam and has an acetate sheet behind it. This allow me to adhere my "hi" floating on the acetate. I cut the sentiment from a Picket Fence die set I have possibly never used. I know I had not used the circle because I was very surprised to find it cut a thin border. I used the same Crimson Cheer ink on that and the "hi" and then coloured the edge of the card base front as well to tie it all together. Leftovers dressed up the inside.

I used six dies to create this card!I am entering it in some challenges:

Die Cut Divas' Spring is Coming

Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes

Love To Craft Challenge Blog Anything Goes