CASology Week #403...Botanical

 

Hello and happy Tuesday. It's time for another challenge at CASology.   This week, our cue word is BOTANICAL.   There are so many different ways to go with this cue word.  I am in need of replenishing my stash of sympathy card (unfortunately), and I always think a simple botanical image or texture works well for this kind of card.

I pulled out some Botanical stamps from Paper Smooches (still miss that sweet company) and got to work.

While I had my supplies out and creative sympathy thoughts going, I made a few more cards.  It's always good to be prepared with sympathy cards, as I typically don't feel like making them right when I need them.

Now it's your turn.  How does BOTANICAL inspire you?


As always, remember the following CAS guidelines when creating your design:

1. One main image
2. Lots of open space, uncluttered
3. Limited layers & embellishments
4. Quick & easy to recreate (Note: It may take a while to create a design you like, but once you have that design, making more should be a piece of cake!)

I hope you play along this week.

Please head on over to the CASology blog and gather some inspiration from our Guest Designer Elizabeth, and our design team.  

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Weekend Wrap Up

Hello friends.  I have a quick post to share some of the things I have been working on this weekend. 

First up is a card inspired by the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch #149.

I clear embossed a branch from Paper Smooches Botanicals 2 and then sponged Distress Ice Spruce ink over and around it.  Sorry about the poor lighting.  This is going into my Sympathy card stash.  

I am also entering this card at Simon Says Wednesday Thinking of You challenge.

Next up is a tag, inspired by the Poppy Stamps samples over at my friend Tracey's 25 Tags of Christmas event.  I am also entering this tag at Poppystamps Challenge #14, Home for the Holidays.

Some more tags for Tracey's challenge--I used the PTI Minute to Make Holiday tags, and my Misti, and it really was so very quick to make these tags.  I made two sets--one set using the colors from ColourMe #97 and one set using colors I just felt like trying.

Last up is a card I almost didn't post because I am not too happy with it, but I decided to keep it real and show it anyway.  Plus, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to enter PTI's Make it Monday contest.

The challenge was using a cover plate to water color.  Well, now I know how to do it.

That's it for me this weekend.  Less than an hour before the PTI November release goes on sale, and I am going to try to nab a few things before they sell out.

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Sympathy and Two Owls

TGIF, right?  Happy Friday.  I am looking forward to a very quiet weekend.  DH and my youngest daughter are away for a soccer tournament, so it is just me and my oldest until very late Sunday night.

I was inspired to pull out my Paper Smooches Botanicals sets by this card by Angela over at AAA Cards #35.  I really like how she added purple to her design.  She used flowers and I decided to use dragonflies.

I am also entering this card at Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes, Addicted to CAS #59:  Green, and Simon Says Wednesday Spring Pinterest Challenge.

My next card was a complete mistake that I decided I really liked.  I started by inking up the WRONG side of a new Darice embossing folder.  I ended up with a bunch of smudges on the back side, but nothing on the raised side.  I decided to try an ink roller on the raised side of the embossed paper.  Roll, roll.  Oops, there was some blue ink on the roller already that I didn't notice.  It mixed with the Hawaiian Shores ink I intended to use.  Roll roll--hey, I guess I am not supposed to roll on the top of the card, where there is no raised surface.  And, the roller was missing ink in the places that were raised at the bottom of the card--so the top has all these sort of ghosted images.  After pulling it out of the trash and studying it a while, I decided it was kind of cool, and perhaps I have invented a new technique.  End of story.

I am entering this card at Simon Says Monday to use an animal, and Addicted to Stamping #136: Anything Goes.

Last up is a card inspired by the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch #115 and the challenge at Less is More #215 to make a one layer card using an animal.  It is a bit hard to see, but some of the action on this card occurs on the inside of the card.

I pulled out a bunch of Lawn Fawn sets and pulled bits and pieces from several different sets.  I used Distress inks for some of my stamping and also to water color some of the images.  I am also entering this card at Lawnscaping Distress Addicts, Simon Says Monday to use an animal, and  AAA Cards #35 Bare Naked CAS.

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Super Pi Day

Happy Super Pi Day!! 3.14.15--the date corresponds to the first five digits of Pi.  It won't do that again for a century, they say.  Read here to learn more.  Then, go and eat some Pi(e).  Exciting, right? My math loving daughter is all over this one.

But, you probably came here to see some cards, so here goes.  I masked and sponged a trio of tulips for my first card.  I was inspired by the photo at The Card Concept #30.

I am also linking up at Happy Little Stampers for their March Sponging Challenge.

I am entering this sympathy card at ColourQ #283.  The sentiment is from Verve, and I think it is such a nice one for a sympathy card.  Although this card is pretty simple, it took several iterations to make.

I am posting my earlier attempts.

I am entering this last card at Addicted to CAS #59, where their challenge is Green.

Last up are a few cards I made when I was playing around with my Distress Inks and round sponges.

I am entering the most CAS version at One Layer Simplicity Challenge #14, where the challenge is Words, Words, Words.  We are allowed to use sentiment stamps and no other kind of stamps.  I masked off a square area on my card front, stamped a sentiment, and then lightly pounced my round stamps on the card after inking them up with a variety of Distress Inks and white pigment ink.

I made another very similar card, using the same inks, but this time, I pounced with gusto.

I am entering this card at Simon Says Monday B is for ... (bokeh).

This last was my very first card with the pouncing technique.  After I finished it and stopped to admire my work, I realized I forgot something very important....the white space.  I knew it wouldn't work for One Layer Simplicity, but am happy to enter this bright and festive card at Seize the Birthday where the topping option is to make the sentiment the focal point.  I am also linking up at Showcase Your Style #10 (thanks Anita).

That's it for me today.  I am off to take my girls to get some pi(e).

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