A Retro Fab Friday

This is my second post today.

CAS(E) this Sketch is just a post away!

The current Fab Friday is a wonderfully rich color combo.

It certainly feels like fall, doesn't it?  But, for unknown reasons (as I am typically a very traditional color person) I didn't make a fall card!  I made a Christmas card...

I also really love this week's sketch at retrosketches so definitely had to put the two together!

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Ornamental Christmas, Petite Pairs
• Paper: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Crumb Cake, Champagne Glimmer
• Ink: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse, Cajun Craze
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Scallop Border Punch, ornament dies, copper cording, misc sheer ribbon, Copper Stickles (on ornaments)

Penguin Noel

It's time for another FUN sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch!

There's SO many possibilities with this one!!  I decided that I had a penguin that worked well with a "Charlie Brown" type tree die that I just got.

If you haven't played along with CAS(E) this Sketch yet, this is a great week to start - one big panel in the middle of the card is wide open for your creativity!  AND - given it is Thanksgiving in the U.S. next Thursday - this challenge is open for TWO weeks!
 I'm looking forward to seeing all of your submissions!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Jolly Holiday
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Winter Wisteria, Limeade Ice, Best Creations white glitter paper
• Ink: Memento black, copics
• Accessories: Simon Says Stamp Mod Tree die, misc snowflake punch, Hobby Lobby brand ribbon, small oval punch

Thanks for the Turkey!

Well, it happened...I missed last week's CASology challenge - it was the first one that I missed since it started.  I blame a dead furnace and cold Colorado weather. (It's still dead and will be dead for awhile because I have an old house and the furnace room isn't up to code so getting a new furnace also involves permits and construction!!!)  Wonderful mother that I am, I left all my boys (including the husband) down here to deal with the cold house (we do have a fireplace and they used winter weight sleeping bags - they were fine!) and I ran away to our little condo in the mountains!!  It had heat, but it didn't have any cardmaking supplies.

I got back last night and decided that the first thing that I would play along with is CASology with a little colourQ and technostamper mixed in.

Also, this week's Simon Says Stamp Challenge is Thanksgiving/Thanks!

But now that I have this done, I don't think I will use it.  There is something a little bit wrong about using a cute turkey on a thank-you-for-Thanksgiving-dinner card!!??

• Stamps: Rosie's Roadshow Turkey, Stampin' Up Pretty Postage
• Paper: Stampin' Up Old Olive, Soft Suede and Tempting Turquoise CS, Cajun Craze dsp
• Ink: Memento brown and Copics
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Turquoise button (from an old collection), WPlus9 Chevron Impression plate, Spellbinders die, EK Success pennant punch

Oh Snap!!

I am a BAD auntie.

I forgot my little niece's birthday.

So I wanted to make the brightest card possible with a fun sentiment!  I pulled out neon inks and ribbon and an apology from The Alley Way Stamps.


Do you think she'll forgive me?  (There's a really nice gift card tucked inside!)

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Kid 'n Caboodle, Framed (sentiment)
• Paper: white
• Ink: Hero Arts Neon pink, Memento black, Neon Copics
• Accessories: Hobby Lobby brand ribbon and embossing folder, pink Stickles

It's Cloud9 WPlus9 Time!

This is my second post today.  There's a 

cute row of turkeys just a post away!!

It's that time of the month!  The monthly Cloud9 Challenge using WPlus9 stamps.  Here's the inspiration photo:

I have never been accused of being overly creative when it comes to inspiration photos.  When I see a quilt, I make a quilt!!  But I have an excuse...I bought these great quilt dies from WPlus9 and haven't used them yet!!  So...here's my Christmas quilt with a sparkly Christmas tree!

• Stamps: WPlus9 Pretty Patches: Tree, Winter Wishes (sentiment)
• Paper: MME 12 Days of Christmas dsp, Stampin' Up Real Red, Bermuda Bay and Shimmer White
• Ink: Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay, Versamark
• Accessories: WPlus 9 Quilt Cuts 2 Die, Pretty Patches Tree Die, Creations Unlimited Snowdrift Embossing Powder (IRL the tree is sparkly!), The Twinery Caribbean Twine

A Row of Cute Turkeys

It's BE Inspired day over at The Alley Way Stamps (TAWS) and we have the cutest picture of a row of turkeys...

I didn't get very creative with this - because one of my top 10 favorite TAWS stamps is the turkey!!  So I took this chance to use him multiple times!!

This little guy comes from the set Cover-Ups.  He's also biggie-sized in It's Fall About You.
I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches:

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Cover-Ups and the speech bubble is from Talk To Me
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crushed Curry CS, Old Olive dsp
• Ink: Memento black and Copics
• Accessories: Circle punch, ribbon from Hobby Lobby

CAS(E) this Sketch #5: Proud of You

I LOVE this week's sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!  It is so totally simple but you will be amazed what the design team has done with it.

I made my card last weekend.  It was for my son and the state marching band competition, but it would be absolutely great as a military card - particularly if you have to mass-produce.  It does work well without the gold brads so it can be a fairly flat card too.


One thing that I love so much about card-making is how each card is personalized.  In this case, the marching band wears blue, red and gold and their program was patriotic so this was perfect for him!  Having said that, he's 16 and didn't notice the card colors at all.


My guy is the really big one behind the really short one - literally the tallest and shortest in the the band - you would think they could have lined them up better!!  
Be sure to check out the other design team cards - you'll see Christmas, you'll see neon, you'll see fall leaves - it's amazing how many creative ideas are out there!  Then try your own and link up.  Remember that this is a CAS challenge.  Here's a blurb from the challenge website if you ever wonder if you are CAS enough!!

The acronym CAS stands for Clean and Simple.

1. Usually only one layer but can include a simple layer or two.

2. A lot of open space sometimes called "white space" can include subtle color, texture or pattern.

4. Usually no embellishments but can include something minimal. (1 or 2 embellishments)

3. Only one focal point. Embellishments should only support not dominate your card.
(Exception to this rule is that you've made the focal point an embellishment and not an image.)

5. Minimal color palette. (up to 3 colors in general)

6. Simple, uncluttered, quick and easy to create.

• Stamps: Simon Says Stamp
• Paper: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse, Real Red CS and dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse
• Accessories: Fiskars punch, Recollections gold beads, Simon Says Stamps Absolutely die