Challenge #13 at Perfectly CAS ........

Happy Sunday evening ......

I do hope you've enjoyed your weekend.  It's been Mother's Day here (another one in lockdown) so I hope all you lovely Mum's out there have had a fabulous day. 

It's time to get the next Perfectly CAS Challenge underway ...... you know, the one where you use one third of your card space.  

If you find the Clean and Simple (CAS) style hard to create, then using a third, or less, of your card space makes it really easy to leave all that white space.  Less is definitely more for this challenge!

It's challenge #13 and the theme is a nice easy one ....... Birthday!

You don't get much more Clean and Simple than this ....... and it's one layer too!!

I do love these stamp designs from Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Co., they're all sooo cute, especially the bunnies!

I stamped the bunny in the centre of my card, using a grey ink instead of black as I wanted a softer, more hand drawn look ........

I then used Faber Castel Polychromos colouring pencils to colour him in.  

I need to practice more using these. I love them but, I can sometimes be a bit heavy handed with them.  They do blend beautifully, and as you can see, the card I used has a little bit of texture to it and the colouring pencils have brought this out which I like, especially on the bunnies fur.

I stamped a sentiment from the same stamp set underneath, keeping everything in that centre third column of my card

And I finished with just a touch of shading underneath the bunny, just to ground him.

Now it's your turn.  Check out the Perfectly CAS Blog for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team and then join in the fun.  See you in gallery!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

I'm off to put my feet up and enjoy a nice glass of something chilled ...... I've earned it!  

Cheers! ............ Happy Mother's Day xx

Products used:

Stamps:  Birthday Wishing (Anita Jeram stamps Colorado Craft Co)

Inks: Ranger Dye Ink - Cool Graphite; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Others: Faber Castel Polychromos colouring pencils 

There's still time to play along with the CAS Stencil challenge .....

Happy Wednesday .......

It's time for our mid-month reminder for the CAS Stencil challenge.  Have you played along yet?  Don't worry, there's still time if you fancy joining in.

Julia is our host this month with a really fun technique challenge theme ........ it's all about using Baby Wipes with your stencils.
Check out the CAS Stencil Blog for links to a couple of fab videos showing this technique.

I used baby wipes with a Waves stencil to create the ocean background for my little fishes.

First I masked off a section on my card front, and then applied blue Distress Inks onto the open panel

I then placed my stencil over the top and used a baby wipe to gently remove some of the Distress Inks, leaving the wave design behind.

I stamped the fishes onto a seperate piece of card, coloured them using ZIG markers and then used the matching dies to cut them out.

These were then attached onto my card using foam pads.
A few dots of Crystal Glaze to create the look of bubbles .....

And a sentiment from the stamp set to finish off.

You can find more inspiration for this months challenge on the CAS Stencil Blog, along with a fab  project from Sarah (Funky Fossil Designs), who is joining us as our Guest Designer this month.

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.
We're off to the Gaiety Theatre again this evening, to see The Legends of Disco - The Three Degrees and Odyssey ...... that's going to bring back some memories.
I was a mere teenager when Native New Yorker (Odyssey) was in the charts ..... and only 12 (oh dear! was it that long ago!!) when the 3 Degrees released When Will I See You Again.
Funny thing is, many years later, probably around 1990/91 (ish), hubby and I bought a new car .... a white Ford Mondeo, our first 'family' car. 
It was only 3 months old and had had one careful lady owner.   That lady owner was ....... Sheila Ferguson, the lead singer, at that time, with the 3 Degrees!!!!  It's a small world.

Now where did I put my dancing shoes?!

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:
Stamps: Gill Friends (My Favourite Things)
Stencil: Waves stencil (Sugar Pea Designs)
Inks: Distress inks - Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire 
Other: Gill Friends matching Dies (MFT); Crystal Glaze (Nuvo); White Gel Pen

CAS Mix Up ........

Happy Thursday .......

Or if you're an England football fan ...... a not so happy Thursday.  Argghhhhhhh!!! ....... the result unfortunately didn't go our way last night (sigh!) 
The lads have done us proud though ..... they all played their socks off.   We will be back, and who knows, next time things may end differently.

It's been a funny old week ......  hubby was away for three days with work, on his birthday too! Don't worry we'll celebrate it at the weekend. 
Lauren and the little man have been staying for a few days, although I've hardly seen them. 
And we've had this strange wet stuff falling from the sky ....... the hot sunny weather had to break at some point I suppose. Although saying that, the sun is back this evening.

As I've got a little time on my hands ....... well supposedly that is ....... I'm having a tidy up in the craft room.  You know the sort of thing I mean ......... actually putting stuff away, cleaning stamps (I know!!) sorting through all my dies and stencils.  I've also had a look through the ever growing pile of new stash, and found things I'd totally forgotten about!

I've even found time to play along with one of my favourite Blog challenges ...... CAS Mix Up

I've had a few cards to make recently and this one fits the challenge theme perfectly .... I think!

Coloured Die cuts ..... got that
Stamping ..... got that
and something of my choice, got that too I think ........ ink splattering.

I die cut the word happy from a piece of white cardstock, cut to fit the front of my finished card and again from a couple of snippets. I inlaid one of the die cuts back into the white card,  and layered another white one on the top.  The last one I coloured using Distress Oxide inks, swiped across the die cut directly from the ink pad.  I used Salty Ocean across the top and Twisted Citron on the bottom .....

and used a wet wipe to blend the two colours together across the middle.
I attached this onto the top of the other two and finished it off with a layer of Glossy Accents .... love the shine

I stamped the cute little chick over the top of the die cut and coloured him using ZIG Markers (this was one of the stamp sets I'd forgotten about ...... I can see these getting used a lot!)

I splattered a little of the Distress Oxide colours onto the card .... and finished off with a bit of rubber stamping to complete the greeting

Oh look ...... there's another little chick on the inside ..... along with a birthday sentiment, just for hubby

His birthday celebrations have started I think ...... with a quick meal at our favourite Indian restaurant.  Well, we were passing and they had a table so it would have been a shame not to call in. Only one beer though ..... he was driving!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your evening.

Cheerio until next time ......

Happy Birthday Shery! .......

Happy Tuesday to you .......

And a very Happy Birthday to Shery (aka the Boss!) the lovely lady who is STAMPlorations. We've just been celebrating the company's 3rd birthday, now it's the turn of the lady who runs the operation.

To help Shery celebrate her special day some of the DT have organised a Surprise Birthday party  and guess what ..... you guys are invited to join in the fun too.
Check out today's Inspiration post on the STAMPlorations Blog, and at the end you'll find a whole load of birthday cards for the birthday girl, and one of those linky thingys so you can join in.
The linky will remain open for about two weeks I think, so you've lots of time ..... no need to panic!

So Shery ..... this one's especially for you ......

I've used one of the pretty blooms from Dee's Blooming Buds and coloured it using Distress Inks and a little water to blend

Then using my MISTI (which ...... by the way ....... I am loving more, every time I use it!!) I stamped the words using the STAMPlorations Happy Sentiment Builders

The ink pad I used is a little on the .... well loved side shall we say (Memento's Rose Bud).  It's only one of the small dewdrop pads but I love it!  I keep saying I'm going to invest in the large version but never get around to it.  The ink is getting a little pale but with the MISTI it's not a problem.  I just ink the stamp up again, and stamp right over the top ...... ink it again, stamp right over the top.  I can do this as many times as I like, it's perfect every time.

A few ink splatters here and there ......

a touch of sparkle on the flower ......

and of course a little something on the inside .....

Have a fabulous birthday Shery ....... enjoy your day, eat lots of cake ...... you deserve it!!
You're card is going to arrive with you a little late ..... sorry!  But at least you've seen it.  It just means you can keep the celebrations going a little longer.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY lovely lady!! 

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

We're hoping to light up the barbecue later ..... the food is ready, the beer is chilling fingers crossed the weather holds out.

Cheerio until next time