CAS-ual Fridays and CAS-ual Chic Challenges: Snowflakes!

  

Happy Friday! I'm back with the last CAS-ual Fridays and CAS-ual Chic Challenge of the year! And it's all about snowflakes! Are you ready to join in the fun?

I used one one of my favorite snowflake dies from the CAS-ual Fridays Flurry Fri-Dies on both of my cards. And apparently I was in the mood for pink this week! :) Both snowflakes are made with polka dot vellums. I also used the same sentiment on both cards...it's from Lovely Blessings and embossed in silver. 

Thrifty fun facts: the polka dot cellophane on the 2nd card was from a gift bag I received and the pink threads were from a small ribbon scrap that I pulled apart. You know, it's important to use up these little bits...it's not like I have a whole room full of supplies or anything! :)

I hope you head over to the challenge sites and play along with us!

Check out what the other girls made to inspire you, some real WOWZA items there!

Challenges are running for two weeks, (you know, you might be busy the week of the 25th!) so no time to waste! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs &  happy stamping!

P.S. In case you missed it, some of the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps are retiring and on sale now while supplies last through December 31st! See all items here.

Some of my favorites, sniff, sniff:

Woot Woot

Rad

Big Thanks

Amazeballs

CAS-ual Fridays & CAS-ual Chic Challenges: Precious Metals

Happy Challenge Time!

We're into Precious Metals this month at the CAS-ual Chic Challenge #05 and the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #145! 

For my CAS-ual Chic card above, I used the sentiment from the CAS-ual Fridays Lovely Greetings set and the little, multi-heart stamp from Calm and Loving. I made a heart shape by stamping the little multi heart image in Versamark around a heart die-cut from the Heart Board Fri-Dies (pretty sure a "freehand" heart would not have turned out so wel!), then embossed it in silver. I used the Fun-Fetti Fri-Dies to make little hearts from teal metal cardstock to fill in my empty spots and complete the heart shape. Got my "precious metal" in that way, too! *wink* I clear embossed the sentiment, then did a little watercoloring over top. A metal paperclip with some dyed ribbon and sequin trim added a little bling. 

For my CAS-ual Fridays card with a CAS look, I used the "Blessings" die from the Noel Fri-Dies (I'm addicted to it!), and laid it on top of watercolor paper, then sprayed Teal mist over it. I embossed a sentiment in black from the Calm and Gentle stamp set, added some black ink splotches, washi tape, and a teal metal heart from Jenni Bowlin. 

Head over to the challenges and play along with us! 

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs & happy stamping!

CAS-ual Fridays & CAS-ual Chic Challenges: Tic Tac Toe'ing

  

Whew! What a full and fun week this has been!

Besides all of the new CAS-ual Fridays Stamps sneak peeks for the holiday release, now it's time for a new challenge! And it's a favorite...Tic Tac Toe'ing! 

The top card is my CAS-ual Chic card for CCC #04...lots of utterly adorable layers.

(It doesn't actually look like a "LOT" of layers, but wow, the supply list was long!)

Below is my clean and simple card for the CAS-ual Fridays CFC #144.

For both cards I went for the diagonal Tic Tac Toe: stenciling, spritzing, distressing.

But...I also added a little (actually a LOT) of die-cutting! Couldn't help myself!

Which is your favorite? 

I really hope you'll come play along! This is really a fun challenge!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe #1

Stamps: Did I really not use any stamps?! I just noticed!

Cardstock: SU Real Red, Soft Sky, Whisper White, Silver Glitter; Heidi Swapp patterned paper

Ink: Soft Sky, SC Mister Huey Black mister

Accessories: CAS-ual Fridays Scallop Tags, Blessings, Fun-Fetti and Stars Fri-Dies, Big Shot, Heidi Swapp stencil, TH Ink Blending Tool, Woodgrain Stencil, Embossing Paste, Stapler, Red/White Baker's Twine, Washi Tape, Jenni Bowlin embellishment.

Recipe #2

Stamps: Oops, no stamps again!

Cardstock: SU Whisper White, Real Red, Soft Sky & Silver Glitter, Heidi Swapp patterned paper

Ink: SU Soft Sky, SC Mister Huey Black mister

Accessories: CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Scallop Tag, Blessings, and Stars Fri-Dies, Big Shot, Red/White Baker's Twine, red ribbon scrap

CAS-ual Fridays & CAS-ual Chic Challenges: Musical!

Ready for a new challenge?!

Today we have the new CAS-ual Fridays and CAS-ual Chic Challenge!

September is Classical Music Month, so create a project celebrating music!

For my projects this month, I decided to switch things up from my usual white cardstock to Kraft cardstock with brights! I came across some fun color combos (below) that inspired me,  and I chose "Bollywood" on the bottom left. I embossed the musical line from Love Notes, then used a blender tool to rub in some red ink. I added little musical banners punched from Love Notes stamped on bright colors. The finishing touch, silver glittery cardstock hearts die cut from Fun-Fetti Fri-Dies. The sentiment is also from Love Notes. I heart this one! :)

Next up...my CAS-ual Chic Challenge musical card with utterly adorable layers...

I stuck with my same Kraft cardstock and bright color scheme, Bollywood. I stamped the same musical line from Love Notes on the bright colors and attached them kind of crooked and wonky. But, whew, they were BRIGHT! It was a LOT of color for me, lol! I toned it down by painting over it with some shimmery paint. Sigh, better!

I started piling on some embellishments, including the Treble Clef Fri-Die cut from thin metal and the Fun-Fetti Fri-Dies again. The sentiment is from the coordinating Big Treble stamp set. This card was definitely outside my comfort zone and after fighting with it for hours (it seemed like it!), I went to bed hating it! But now that I see it again, I think maybe it doesn't totally suck. lol! Does that ever happen to you?!

I hope you'll head over to the challenge blogs and play along with us! 

I'd love to see you celebrate music too! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Hugs & happy stamping!

CAS-ual Fridays and CAS-ual Chic Challenges: Pretty Patterns!

Happy Friday!

Are you ready for some new challenges?

It's all about "Pretty Patterns" this week at the CAS-ual Chic Challenge!

Celebrate patterns...use pattern paper, use a pattern stamp like chevron or houndstooth, or use any stamp to create a pattern...whatever you like! 

In the CAS-ual Chic Challenge it's all about utterly adorable layers, so in the card above, I created my own "pretty pattern" by stamping the flower from the Mon Ami stamp set in Memento black ink, then used the Ranger blender tool to fill in the flowers with Soft Sky ink. I saw Laura Bassen using that blender tool, and now I'm addicted to it! Almost forgot, I used the Mon Ami Fleur Fri-die on a piece of white cardstock to create a "stencil". I just placed it over each flower, then blended away! So easy, and it looks so smooth. Addicted, I tell you!

I layered that onto my back card base, then used the Bubble Box Fri-Die stamped with "Mon Amie" to create a place to plop my second flower from the Mon Ami stamp set. I used Copics to color in the flower, then smeared it up with a bit of black Stickles. I looped some silver cord behind the Bubble Box die piece, then layered in a few silver glitter cardstock vines created with the Casual Vines Fri-Dies. Whew, a lot to describe with utterly adorable layers! 

I hope you'll play along! Be sure and head over to the Cas-ual Chic blog to check out the *amazing* cards by the rest of the design team! They make my layers look wimpy! 

Now...how about a clean and simple card for the same "pretty patterns" theme 

at the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge:

I used the same flower from the Mon Ami stamp set to create a pattern, but I used Soft Sky ink on Soft Sky cardstock so it's more subtle than the black ink. Again, I used the Mon Ami Fleur Fri-Die to create a stencil, then colored in the flowers with the Ranger blender tool. I started out with a bigger "pretty pattern" piece, then cut it down once I had decided on its placement. Lastly, I stuck on some silver shimmery Washi tape, embossed my sentiment in white on black cardstock, then added a few sequins for bling. Ahhh, so easy! :)

I hope you'll play along with us at the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge too!

Check out the cards by the rest of the design team and link up your entry! 

So what's your favorite: the utterly adorable layers card or the clean and simple card? hehe

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Hugs & happy stamping!

Recipe #1

Stamps: CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Mon Ami 

Cardstock: SU Basic Black, Whisper White, Soft Sky, & Silver Glitter 

Ink: SU Soft Sky, Memento Black

Accessories: Big Shot, CAS-aul Fridays Stamps Casual Vines Fri-Die, Bubble Box, and Mon Ami Fleur Fri-Die, SU silver cord, Black Stickles, Copics coral and green, Ranger foam blending tool, foam dimensionals.

Recipe #2

Stamps: CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Mon Ami

Cardstock: SU Whisper White, Basic Black, Soft Sky

Ink: SU Soft Sky, Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Mon Ami Fleur Fri-Die, Heat Tool, White Embossing Powder, Ranger foam blending tool, SU silver washi tape, Teresa Collins Memorabilia sequins.

CAS-UAL Fridays & CAS-UAL Chic Challenges: Embossing!

Happy Friday!

Today I have 2 cards for 2 great challenges!

I rejoined the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge design team, yay!

You know I love my clean and simple cards, so I've always loved this challenge!

But the exciting news is that Michele created another challenge for those folks who love lots of layers and details, which is me too! haha! The new challenge is CAS-ual Chic, for Utterly Adorable Layers! Clever, huh?! Luckily she's letting me make cards for this challenge too! :)

I think it's going to be really fun creating two different looks with the same theme!

So, my 1st card, above, is for the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge, clean and simple.

This week's challenge is embossing, any kind!

I was going for a "chalkboard" look (I hope you can tell!) with an embossed sentiment!

Here's what I did:

1. Stamp "Smile" on card with Versamark

2. Heat emboss "Smile" with white embossing powder

3. Rub white pigment ink, strategically, all over card with kleenex

4. Apply white pigment ink along card edges straight from the ink pad

5. Fold washi tape in half and adhere to card

6. Cut out a little banner from patterned paper and sew to card

7. Inside, I added a white panel and stamped "it's your birthday...get your happy on" from the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Whole Shebang stamp set.

Supplies

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Sassy Smiles

Black cardstock

Jenni Bowlin patterned paper

Versamark ink

White pigment ink

White embossing powder

Heat tool

Washi tape

sewing machine, thread

Now...for those utterly adorable layers at the CAS-ual Chic Challenge!

(Close up of dry embossed flowers with Big Shot, kind of hard to see!)

I had a lot of fun with this card and used a lot of goodies! 

Here's what I did:

1. Stamp "Smile" on card with Versamark

2. Heat emboss "Smile" with white embossing powder

3. Cut 5 cardstock flowers from the Loving Blooms Fri-Dies

4. Place the 5 flower dies under the Pool Party cardstock and emboss with Big Shot

5. Rub white pigment ink strategically all over embossed cardstock with Kleenex

6. Sew the Pool Party cardstock to the Black cardstock 

(you could skip this step, it just allowed the top layer to kind of "float" on top of the black)

6. Die cut the little hearts strip with the Fun-Fetti Fri-Dies & staple to layered cardstock

7. Glue one little heart over the dot on the "i"

8. Wrap cardstock pieces with black & white twine and attach to card base with foam dimensionals

9. Inside, I added a white panel and stamped "it's your birthday...get your happy on" from the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Whole Shebang stamp set.

Supplies

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Sassy Smiles

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Loving Blooms Fri-Dies

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Fun-Fetti Fri-Dies

SU Pool Party & Basic Black cardstock

Jenni Bowlin floral patterned paper

Studio Calico striped gold patterned paper

Black & white twine

White pigment ink

Versamark ink

White embossing powder

Heat tool

Big Shot

sewing machine/thread

stapler

I hope you'll come play along with both challenges!

You've got until July 28th link up your entries!

Thanks for stopping by! Hugs & happy stamping!