The idea behind this challenge is to use lots of small images or shapes or words/sentiments but at the same time keeping the card as CAS as possible. 

I was intrigued by this challenge to use small images so I rummaged through my stash and found a set of botanical images that I thought would work.  I proceeded to cover the surface of an A2 size panel, but decided it wasn't enough white space so I chopped it in half.  The fact that I used "Christmas" colors wasn't intentional but more meant as colors of nature.  A simple embossed fish tail banner and neutral diecut sentiment worked to finish the card.  I'm feelin' the CAS!

Supplies Used
Stamps:  Botanical Silhouettes (A Muse Studio)
Papers:  Hammermill Cover, Copy, Cover, FSJ Red C/S
Accessories:  Flag Tags Die (Paper Smooches), Hello Phrase Set 2 (Spellbinders), Versafine Spanish Moss, Olympia Green, Smokey Gray Vintage Sepia (Tsukineko), Tombow Markers, Tombow Mono Multi Glue.


Thanks for Stopping By!

XOXO

LYN

What a fun challenge!  I saw so many elements within the inspiration photo.  My design began with a favorite Eiffel Tower image that I've had for a long time.  Adding a little of this and a little of that and the card began to take shape.  Lastly, I added the vertical stripe strip as it seemed so Parisian!  TIP:  Diecut a heart strip and turn it upside down to create a scallop edge!

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  C'est La Vie (A Muse Studio), You're So Sweet Stamps & Dies (Studio Katia), Sentiment (Catherine Pooler)
Papers:  Hammermill Color, Copy, Cover, Strathmore Watercolor Paper, Dots & Stripes (Echo Park 6x6 Paper Pad)
Accessories:  Onyx Black Versafine Ink (Tsukineko), Tattered Rose (Ranger Distress Ink), I-Kan-Dee Chalks (Pebbles, Inc.). Heart Scallop Die (A Muse Studio), Blending Tool (Picket Fence), 1/8" Score Tape (Scor-Pal), Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Black Ribbon (store packaging)


Thanks for Stopping By!

XOXO

LYN

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE photo cards!  They tell a story without words and are always a hit for the intended recipient.  You can imagine my delight when I saw this sketch for TGIF Challenge #251!  The card is a loose representation of the sketch but it gave me all the design ideas I needed. 

The story without words is that my friend (on the left) is actually coming for a visit real soon.  The photo is from the 24 Hours of Daytona where she and her fiance flew down and joined my husband and me for a fun-filled 4 day mini vacation.  Since it was somewhat cold that weekend and not especially beach weather, my friend is making a re-do trip soon so she and I can just "do the beach!"

​Do any of you know where we took this photo?!?

The inside of a card is often not given nearly the attention as the card front.  I wanted to take the time by stamping the palm trees first and then adding the sentiment.  It was an extra 30 seconds and so worth it

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Timeless Tropical (SU), Sealed with a Fish (A Muse Studio)
Papers:  Hammermill Cover, Copy, Photo
Accessories:  Stitched Circle (A Muse Studio), Stitched Rectangle Dies (Lawn Fawn), Versafine Inks - Toffee, Spanish Moss, I-Kandee Chalk Pastels (Pebbles, Inc.), Quickie Glue Pen (Tsukineko), Diamond Glitter (Reflections), Twine (A Muse Studio)


Thanks for Stopping By!

XOXO

LYN

I just happened to have a new pineapple diecut and was glad to have the opportunity to use it for the Twofer Card Challenge!

My card utilized "failed" watercolor that was stuffed in a pile that literally came back to life for this card.

The next card is a simple CAS one layer design with the pineapple diecut from watercolor paper.  I painted the diecut and then affixed it to the card front.  A sweet stamped sentiment completed the CAS card.

If you haven't discovered the life altering trick to fussy diecutting, you need to read on.  Save your dryer sheets and stack them in a pile of 4 and then fold in half.  Layer the stack of dryer sheets on the bottom diecut platform, then paper, then the diecut, then the top platform.  Your fussy diecut comes out like butter.  I am not joking here.  You have to try this trick with any fussy diecut.  The dryer sheet "pad" works many times over.  You will feel like your life just changed dramatically.

Supplies Used

Stamps:  Timeless Tropical (SU)
Papers:  White Cardstock (Darice), Canson Watercolor
Accessories:  Lene Lok (Spellbinders), Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Tombow Mono Liquid Glue, Twine (May Arts), Fun Foam (Michaels), Waves Embossing Folder (Spellbinders), Koi Water Colors Pocket Field Sketch Box (Sakura)

Thanks for Stopping By!

XOXO

LYN

Well I love stripes so I just had to respond to this week's challenge.  My two cards are "painted" with chalks on regular old cardstock.  Is that crazy or what?  Don't they look totally water colored?  Chalks  allow a paint surface that doesn't fight with card stock. I'm in love!

The above card was "striped" after the dots were created from an earlier project.  I laid a striped template over the dots and using a wet cosmetic sponge smooshed into chalk, I created the stripes.  After painting with chalks, I added a diecut sentiment to become a focal over the image.  Dots of Stickles added a pretty pop.

Here I first stamped the image onto regular old cardstock and then laid the stripe stencil over the card front.  It was so easy to use a wet makeup sponge rubbed into the chalk and create the background stripes.  The florals are also painted with a wet brush and chalks.  Is that not the coolest watercolor effects???  I don't know what's in chalks but clearly you can create beautiful watercolor.  The top right corner was a perfect spot for the sentiment.  Gold Stickles added some prettiness.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Mondo Sakura by Julie (Ellenhutson.com), Timeless Tropical (SU)
Paper:  Card Base (Darice), Reflections (Michel's)
Accessories:  Brights I kan' dee Chalks (Pebbles, Inc.), Versafine Onx Black (Tsukineko), Stickles (Ranger), Diecut (A Muse Studio)


Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

LYN

I loved the watercolor image of the challenge photo and immediately proceeded to replicate what I saw.  I literally water ​colored everything.

I had a hard time finding indigo blue but am happy with my interpretation of this challenge.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Sentiment:  Beautiful Day (Alt&New)
Papers:  Distress Watercolor Cardstock (Ranger)
​Accessories:  Koi Water Colors Pocket Field Sketch Box (Sakura), Versafine Onx Black Ink (Tsukineko), Zig 2-Way Glue,, Sequins (My Stash).

Thanks for Stopping By!

XOXO

LYN

I had an immediate design idea when I saw this week's challenge photo so I went for it!

For the confetti look, I used a regular 1/4" hole punch and punched away!  After randomly mounting them, I decided to add Stickles to each one.

Supplies Used:
Papers:  Dots & Stripes 6x6 Paper Pad (Echo Park), Red Panel (FSJ), White Card Base (Hammermill Color, Copy, Cover)
Accessories:  Heart Die (Spellbinders), Alpha Letters (Lawn Fawn), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Stickles Glitter Glue (Ranger), Twine (May Arts)

Thanks for Stopping By!

XOXO

LYN

The first thing that inspired me looking at this challenge photo was the xoxo's and feeling excited that I had alphabet dies here in Florida!  So off I went on my design journey...

The Reverse Confetti 6x6 From Cupid paper pad works for so many card designs and, especially, for a Valentine's theme.  I love mixing patterns!

Supplies Used:
Papers:  Card Base (Hammermill Color, Copy, Cover), From Cupid 6x6 Pad (Reverse Confetti)
Accessories:  Stacked Hearts Die (Simon Says Stamp), Heart Dies (Spellbinders), Alpha Dies (Unknown), Twine (May Arts), Foam Mounting Squares (Scrapbook Adhesives), ATG Tape (Scotch), Tombow Multi Glue

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

LYN

Creating cards with snowmen is a perfect January and winter blues theme for me and I jumped on this week's challenge and couldn't wait to play.

I knew what image and papers I was going to use so it was a fun process to put my idea of a card together.  Getting out some tried and true products is always fun!  Click on the card for the challenge link.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Cozy Back (A Muse Studio)
Papers:  Strathmore Smooth, Wintertime 6x6 Pad (Penny Black)
Accessories:  Basic Brights I Kandee Chalks (Pebbles, Inc.), Ric Rack Diecut (A Muse Studio), Stitched Circle Die (A Muse Studio), Twine (May Arts), Sequins (My Stash), 3M Foam Mounting Tape, Tombow Multi Glue


Thanks for stopping by!!

XOXO

LYN

My interpretation of the theme was to try a new idea that was swirling around in my head that involved stamping and masking while creating a forest scene in the background.

To begin, I stamped the critters onto the card front and covered them with a mask cut from Eclipse masking paper.  BTW, fussy cutting the mask was a challenge!!!  Next, I hand cut a hill out of Eclipse paper and laid it over the masked critters.  I inked the Tim Holtz grouping of trees with Distress inks, spritzed with water and stamped.  The hill mask was removed and additional trees were added in front of the hill using one small tree and repeating the Distress inking, spritzing and stamping steps.  Trees were added on the right and on the left of the critters.  A wash of cerulean blue watercolor was painted for the sky.

The critters were water colored using a wet on dry technique.  Once the critters were painted, the snowy shadows were painted.  After stamping the sentiment, falling snow was created using a favorite product from Stampendous called Chunky White Deep Impression Embossing Enamel.  It was sprinkled on and heated from underneath.  The chunks melt and voila, snow!
​

Here's a close up of the melted snow effects.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Furry Friends - Stampenous (CRP270) (Discontinued, but I found on Amazon), Tree Line - Tim Holtz Collection - Stampers Anonymous, For Everything Sentiment - Catherine Pooler Designs
Paper:  Strathmore 5x7 Watercolor Cards & Envelopes
Inks:  Ranger Distress Cubes:   Bundled Sage, Evergreen Bough, Forest Moss, Tsukineko Versafine Onx Black
Accessories:  Eclipse Masking Paper (Judikins), Daniel Smith Watercolor Extra Fine Dot Watercolor Chart, Stampendous Deep Impression Chunky White Embossing Enamel


Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

LYN