A Give-Away, CAS102, and a Couple More Cards

Clear and Simple Stamps is giving away the set I used on the OLW37 samples yesterday! That's a Limited Edition set, folks! All you have to do is enter the OLW37 with a card in InLinkz, and then go to the CSS Facebook page and comment on the give-away post there!

To Clean and Simple Stamps: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generosity and support of the One-Layer Wednesday Challenge!

In keeping with my desire to do more challenges, I did the CAS102 Challenge at Splitcoast. It's an inspiration challenge based on this fab card by cindybstampin'!

I changed around, just a bit, the elements to simplify an already simple card...because that's how my boat floats. My sentiment is on the background area rather than under it, and I used three hot pink flowers rather than three different elements in different colors. I love the results!

I also wanted to share a couple of cards I made that don't quite make the requirements for OLW37 (letters are not, technically, sentiments) but still, these cards were inspired by challenge anyway. This challenge is really sparking my uber-simple creativity. I combined two StampinUp sets--Headline Alphabet and Define Your Life. Here's the crisp and white version.

And here's the rustic dude version on PTI's natural paper.

Who needs layers? Seriously.

Placement of the definitions is slightly different because the letters are different. I used my stamp postitioner to decide exactly where each definition looked best. I do wish the happy definition were about 1/16th of an inch lower, but still, I'm pleased with the results.

Thanks so much for all the wonderfully kind comments and suggestions. I am so PUMPED for Simplicity in 2011!!!!! Here are the main things I'm taking away from all your comments:

1. Keep up the design talk.

2. Do more before/after lessons and CASifications. Lately, my magazine perusing hasn't yielded much that inspired me to CASify. But I'll certainly keep alert. Before/afters happen by accident, when I'm experimenting. They happen pretty often, so all I need to do is start photographing the rejects.

3. Use more colored card bases. This one fits well with my resolution to use up some of the enormous cardstock stash.

4. Make more kid and guy cards. Yeah, yeah. I know. But those are soooooo hard! I'll definitely try, though.

And I'll offer up an apology to Erica, who asked me to "use embossing folders for the fronts of cards and then build from there." Erica is new to Simplicity and doesn't know that I don't have embossing folders because I am not cool. However, if you want to see embossing folders used on card fronts in a fabulously CAS way, visit Karen Dunbrook's gallery  and Harriet Skelly's Blog. These ladies both make gorgeous cards with embossing folders.

Here, however, the best you'll get is the occasional embossed line from a ScorPal. 

Because I am not cool.

And I'm good with that. Totally good.


Supplies for CAS Challenge card
stamps: Impression Obsession (name of set unknown), Hero Arts (sentiment)
ink: Memento London fog, tuxedo black
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: Maya Road velvet flowers, half pearls, gingham ribbon, glue dots

Supplies for Alpha Definition Cards
stamps: SU Headline Alphabet, Define Your Life
ink: various Memento
accessories: Stamp Positioner