A "Simple" Recipe ...

Happy Stump Day, hampers ... and welcome to another fantastic CAS-tastic Wednesday challenge! This week, we're inviting you to join us in a card recipe challenge. Curious? It's "S.I.M.P.L.E!"

Simply create a clean and simple card using at least 3 of the following:

• A stamped or printed image;
• Inked edges;
• Masking;
• Paper Piercing;
• Lace; and/or,
• Embossing.

For my card, I: Stamped a sentiment, paper-pierced the sentiment label, and embossed my card stock background:

To play along ... and we hope you do! ... simply create a Clean And Simple card using at least three of the qualifying items.

Upload your project to your blog or online gallery and link your post to the CAS-tastic Wednesday Challenge blog, located HERE, by 9:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. Please mention that you're playing in the CAS-tastic Wednesday challenge on your blog post. One random winner will win a £10.00 gift voucher from this week's fantastic CAS-tastic sponsor, "One Stop Card Crafts."

Be sure to submit your link to the "Simply Linked" widget on the CAS-tastic Wednesday blog. If you upload your project to an online gallery such as Splitcoast Stampers, SNR, or Paper Craft Planet, please be sure to use Keyword: CWC012.

Need more inspiration? Check out the fabulous cards created by the rest of the CAS-tastic Design Team:

Agata: Under Construction;

Angie: Angie Cortes Designs:

Barbara: Paper Pursuits;

Bonnie Rose: A Life Unrehearsed;

Karen: The Bald Dragonfly;

Maylee: Maylee's Creative Corner; and,

Regina: Regina's Scrap Creations.

We can't wait to see your clean and "S.I.M.P.L.E." card!

Thanks so much for spending part of your very busy day with me!

~Hugs,


Today's Challenges:

• A Passion for Papertrey: To Die For (Labels One, Square Die)
• Alphabet Challenge: 'K' is for Kids
• C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: Babies / Children
  
• Creative Inspirations: Oldest Thing in Stash (This Pinwheel)
  
• KL Stampin n' Scrappin: Dry Embossing
• My Sheri Crafts: Family
• Papertrey Paper Dolls: Color
  
• Practical Scrappers: Embossing
• The Crazy Challenge: Hip to Be Square
  

Card Recipe:

• Card Stock: Card Stock by Papertrey Ink; "Corn Flower Blue" Card Stock by CTMH
  
• Stamp: Sentiment from Papertrey Ink
• Ink: Dye Ink by CTMH
• Accessories: Ancient Pinwheel Embellishment by Meri Meri; DMC Embroidery Floss
  
• Tools: Die-Cut Machine; Labels and Square Dies by Spellbinders; "Spots and Dots" A2 Embossing Folder by Provo Craft; Paper Piercing Tool by Stampin' Up; Stampin' Dimensionals and SNAIL Adhesive by Stampin' Up
• Finished Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" (Top-Folded)
  

Say What?

Happy Thursday, Crafty Stampers!

Today's card project was created using a cute rubber stamp from QKR Stampede and designer paper from October Afternoon:

I stamped my focal image on white card stock, then colored it using Copic markers and stamped the sentiment on a die-cut tag.

For the ginormous view of my card, clicky on the photo ... and for all of the exciting product info, check out the Card Recipe, below.

Sooooooooo, I was hangin' out with Sheila when her DH, Ken, came in to show us an article he was reading.

"See. I knew it: a study proving that women talk more than men!" he said happily, waving a magazine at us. "This study indicates that men use, on the average, only 15,000 words a day, whereas women use 30,000 words a day."

Sheila mulled this over for a minute and then remarked: "Well, sure, of course! It makes perfect sense: we use twice as many words as men because we have to repeat or explain everything we say."

Then Ken asked, "What do you mean?"

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit me today ... you rock!

~Hugs,


Today's Challenges:

• Creative Belli: Die-Cuts Shapes
• Doodle Palace: Funny Animals
• InStyle Stamps: Sketch and Color
• Order of the Opus Gluei: Birds
  
• Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge: Anything Goes
• Something Completely Different: B is for: Birds
  
• The Creative Cottage: Things with Wings
• The Pink Elephant: 1 Image/2 Dies/3 Embellishments
• The Pixie Cottage: Buttons
• Totally Stampalicious: Critters
  

Card Recipe:

• Card Stock: "Kiwi Kiss," "Not Quite Navy," and "Whisper White" Card Stock by Stampin' Up
• Designer Paper: "Report Card" Collection by October Afternoon
• Stamps: Sentiment by PTI; "New Family" Stamp by QKR Stampede
  
• Ink: Memento "Tuxedo Black" Dye Ink; "Not Quite Navy" Dye Ink by Stampin' Up; "Sky" Fluid Chalk Ink; Apple Green Fluid Chalk Ink
• Color Medium: Copic Markers (Various)
  
• Accessories: "Kiwi Kiss" Grosgrain Ribbon by Stampin' Up; Hemp Twine; Vintage Buttons; DMC Embroidery Floss
• Tools: Die-Cut Machine; Large Rectangle Die; Tiny Tag Die; Stampin' Dimensionals and SNAIL Adhesive by Stampin' Up
• Finished Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2
  

Shop for Stampin' Up products online ... 24/7 ... HERE

Don't Believe Everything You Read ...

Happy (?) Monday, Stampers! Hope your weekend was long and lovely!

Today's super-simple card project was created for The Play Date Cafe's weekly color challenge, PDCC19. This week, the color challenge calls for Deep Yellow, Pale Yellow, and White. For all the challenging deets, including a look at the tangy inspiration photo, clicky HERE.

Here's a lookie at my v-e-r-y yellow card:

I'm pretty unhappy with this photo, but I've been taking pix of this card for hours and I'm officially saying "uncle." And now I've run outta time ... and daylight. And there will be no photographing anything today because yet again, I'm starting Jury Duty at 8:00 a.m. this morning. I get summoned once a year ... regular as Christmas! Is it just me or does this happen to anyone else?!?

And I promise to do my very best to get to all of your blogs this week, but it may be a bit difficult what with the whole American-Civic-Duty thing going on this week. But if you don't see me posting comments on your blogs, this would be why. I promise to swing by your blogs just as soon as possible to 'oooh' and 'ahhhh' over all of your fabulous projects!

I used two very retired Stampin' Up sets to create this card: the duck is from 1999's "Hoppy Easter" stamp set, and the l'il tag is from 2006's "Terrific Tags" stamp set. For the rest of the amazing product info, check out the Card Recipe, below.

Soooooooooo, this weekend Sheila and I and our respective DHs got together to go out for dinner. We settled on Mexican and decided to try the 'hot' new Mexican restaurant in downtown West Palm.

As we waited to be seated, Sheila jabbed me with her elbow and directed my attention to a sign posted on the wall. It read, "It's a Fact: Tacos is Brain Food."

So much for "facts" ...

Thanks so much for spending part of your busy Monday with me ... have a great day!

~Hugs,


Today's Challenges:

• Alphabet Challenge: 'S' is for Stamping
• Crafty Ann's: Something New (Color)
• Crafty Creations: One Color
• Crazy Challenge: Show Me Anything
• Creative Card Crew: Celebration (New Baby)
• Delightful Sketches: Kids
• Design Dollies: Sunny Yellow
• Frosted Designs: Technique Week (Dry Embossing)
• Let's Capture Our Memories: Monochromatic
• Lucy's Cards: Inspiration Card - HERE
• Magical Crafts: Things with Wings (Duck)
• Other Lovelies Thoughtful Thursdays: Brighten or Warm a Card
• Pal's Paper Arts: Spring (Color - Yellow)
• Pile it On: One Color + A Neutral
• Rosie D's: Think Spring (Yellow/Baby/Duck)
• Scrappy Frogs: Challenge Yourself (Yellow)
• Stamp, Scrap, & Doodle: Open
• Stampin' for the Weekend: Monochromatic
• Stampin' Royalty: Inspiration (White BG, Yellow Pot, 'B' on Wall)
• Sweet Stampin' Challenge: For a Child
• The Play Date Cafe: Color Challenge, PDCC19
• The Res-Q-Challenge: Medical Reports - Text
• Tuesday Taggers: Swirls and Curls

Card Recipe:

• Card Stock: "Summer Sun" and "Whisper White" Card Stock by Stampin' Up; "Summer Sunrise" Card Stock by PTI
• Stamps: Duck Image from "Hoppy Easter" Stamp Set (Retired) by Stampin' Up; Tag Image from "Terrific Tags" Stamp Set (Retired) by Stampin' Up
• Ink: "Summer Sun" Dye Ink by Stampin' Up
• Accessories: Satin Ribbon
• Tools: Die-Cut Machine; Square Die; A2 Embossing Folder; Stampin' Dimensionals and SNAIL Adhesive by Stampin' Up
• Finished Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Where Do YOU Wanna Go?

Happy Thursday, race fans!

Today's clean and simple one-layer card project was created for my card stash:

I stamped my chicken/duck image directly on my card stock base and did a l'il coloring with a couple of Copic markers. I stamped a sentiment, added a row of flat-back pearls, and tied on a grosgrain ribbon. Easy-peasy and ready to serve in just 15 Minutes!

For all the mind-blowing product info, check out the supply list, below.

Sooooooooo, if you follow my blog ... and all of the Sheila craziness ... you know that she teaches Sunday School at our Church. Periodically, I'll sit in on her classes ... so I can bust on her at a later date.

This past Sunday, I decided to check out her lesson ... which was about being good and going to heaven.

At the end of her lesson, the review: "So, children, where do you want to go?"

"Heaven!" one of the girls called out enthusiastically.

"And what do you have to be to get there?" Sheila asked.

"Dead!" yelled one of the boys.

Thanks so much for spending part of your busy day with me!

~Hugs,


Today's Challenges:

1. Cupcake Craft Challenge: Keep it Simple
2. Fab 'n' Funky Challenge: It's Childish
3. Pals Paper Arts: Keep it Simple, Sweetie

Card Recipe:

• Card Stock: "Whisper White" Card Stock by Stampin' Up
• Stamp: Chicken/Duck, Unknown; Sentiment from "Whimsical Words" Free Sale-a-bration Stamp Set by Stampin' Up
• Ink: "Tuxedo Black" Dye Ink by Tsukineko
• Color Medium: Copic Markers
• Accessories: Flat Back Pearls by Mark Richards; 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon
• Finished Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

It's a Card!

Welcome to your weekend, Stampers ... and don't forget: while the DH's are glued to the pre-game, the game-game, and the post-game, you can go craft shopping. Dig out those 40% off coupons, Ladies!

Well, I had a very pleasant surprise this week: Sharon Johnson of the fabulous "No Time to Stamp" blog, and her equally fabulous "Stamp Simply" card challenge, invited me to Guest Design for the Challenge for the month of February! After I finished the Dance of Joy and climbed off my desk, I hurriedly agreed ... lest Sharon have a chance to change her mind!

So, today's card was created with this week's Stamp Simply Challenge, #125, in mind: to create a project for baby! A shower card, a new baby Congrats, an altered item, something for baby's room, a 1st birthday card ... ANYTHING goes -- as long as it's for BABY. For all the challenging deets, clicky HERE to visit Sharon's blog.

My card couldn't be any simpler ... well, it could: but only if someone else made it for me! I ran some Very Vanilla card stock through my die-cut machine in the "Argyle" embossing folder, double-matted it, then paper-pieced the little dress. I added a tiny silver bow, some luscious satin ribbon, a cute l'il baby carriage charm, and double matted my sentiment. Simply ... simple!

Be sure to check out the entire Stamp Simply Design Team blogs for their fabtastic Baby projects:

Barbara Anders: Paper Pursuits;

Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here;

Jenny Gropp: One Krafty Kat;

Tammy Hershberger: Stamp Happy;

Sharon Johnson: No Time to Stamp?;

Julie Koerber: Out to Impress;

Janine Orchard: 2bKrafty;

AJ Otto: The Willow Garden;

Deb Saaranen: Dream In Color; and

Barb Schram: Explore. Dream. Discover.

If you decide to play along, and we all hope that you do, just link up to Sharon's Stamp Simply Challenge #125, blog post. If you upload to an online gallery, such as Splitcoast Stampers, use Keyword: ssnotime125. C'mon, play along ... you'll be glad you did! And, as a bonus, you'll finally have an emergency Baby card in your ever-expanding card stash!

For all the a-mazing product info, check out the supply list, below.

Sooooooooo, I stopped by Sheila's yesterday to say 'hi' and found her and her crazy sister Jill lounging out by the pool. Jill, a Walking Compendium of Useless Information, was babbling on about politics.

Then, something interesting:

"So, did you two know that more Americans can name the Three Stooges than the three branches of government?" Jill asked.

"Well, that's because the Three Stooges are more likely to get something done." Sheila replied.

And that would be Larry, Moe, and Curly. And, the Judicial, the Legislative, and ...

Thanks so much for swingin' by today ... hope you enjoy your shopping weekend!

~Hugs,

• Card Stock: "Chocolate Chip," "Pink Pirouette," "Rose Red," and "Very Vanilla" Card Stocks by Stampin' Up
• Designer Paper: "Nana's Nursery" by DCWV
• Stamps: Simply Chic
• Ink: "Chocolate Chip" Dye Ink by Stampin' Up
• Accessories: Satin Ribbon by May Arts; Jump Rings by Junkitz; Silver Charms, Unknown; Brad Pitt
  
• Tools: Die-Cut Machine; Rectangular Dies; "Argyle" A2 Embossing Folder; Stampin' Dimensionals and SNAIL Adhesive by Stampin' Up
  
• Finished Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
  

Shop for Stampin' Up products online ... 24/7 ... HERE

If you have any questions about Stampin' Up products or stamping techniques, feel free to contact me HERE.

*... the Executive.