Happy 1st Anniversary at ATCAS!

Hi everyone.  Today we're celebrating our 1st anniversary at ATCAS - whoo hoo!! :)  I can't believe how fast the past year has zipped by!  Congrats to Kylie!  She has done an amazing job of organizing this fun challenge blog, arranging sponsors ... and keeping our crazy group of designers in line (that's pretty much a full-time job!)  :)

ATCAS has great challenges ... but we would not be so successful if it wasn't for all our wonderful supporters who have fun playing along with us!!  Thank you!!

To celebrate, this challenge (being run by the über-talented Marie - baileyrosy) has the PERFECT code word:

This challenge is being sponsored by

We hope you'll play along with us ... there'll be lots of fun ... and lots of prizes.  Check out the posting on ATCAS to see all the details!

We are also celebrating by kicking off a new feature at ATCAS.  We will be having a new Guest Designer each month to join us for some fun!  Our first guest designer is the very creative Bonnie Klass ... welcome to the team Bonnie!

For my card today, I used a fun Penny Black stamp that my good friend, Debbie sent me a while back.  I think Mimi is adorable! ... and I love her with her purple outfit and her bouquet of red hearts.  This is also an "ode to Debbie" as she has used this color combination a few times before and I LOVE IT ... and she also LOVES polka-dots!  Thank you Debbie for the stamp ... and for your wonderful cards that always inspire! :)

Here's a close-up:

I paper pieced the wrapping on Mimi's heart bouquet ... everything else is colored with Copics.  I used my white gel pen to add the polka-dots to her hair ribbon.  A little chalk for her cheeks and a couple of white dots to finish.

I smudged the sentiment at the very end of making the card, so I saved the image by fussy cutting her and popping her up on the card front.  I popped up the sentiment as well. :)

Stamps:  Sweetheart Mimi (Penny Black); Teeny Tiny Wishes (SU!)
Paper:  White (C.C. Designs); Snap Color Vibe (Simple Stories)
Ink:  Black (SU!); Copics:  E00, E01, R27, R29, Y32, YR24, V09, V25, G43, YG67
Accessories & Tools:  white gel pen, Maraschino twine (The Twinery), glue, adhesives, and dimensionals

I hope you'll us for our Anniversary Challenge.  Please click here to check out all the details and see the fabulous inspiration cards by the rest of the Design Team!

I'm entering this card into the Simon Says Challenge this week - Keep it Clean & Simple!

Coral Hibiscus

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for a couple of challenges ... SCS Color Challenge (CC451 - Calypso Coral, Real Red, Old Olive), and Muse #42 ... where Laurie Willison has provided this fabulous card for inspiration:

I used a NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff) ... Darnell will be proud! :)  I've had this hibiscus die-cut for a long time and have never used it before.  I'm really happy how it turned out ... the colors from the challenge just seemed to speak tropical flower to me.

Here's a close-up:

I die-cut two of the flowers from Calypso Coral card stock (and the stem from Old Olive) and then sponged around the edges of each petal (and in the center) with Real Red ink.  I used my Coral Stampin' Write marker to draw in the veins on the flower and then used my blender pen to blend them a little and make them subtle.  I took one of the flowers and cut the petals apart.  I shaped each one with my stylus and mat and then glued it on top of the base flower, having it flush at the center of the flower and raised at the ends of the petals (I used a dimensional on each one).  It's hard to tell from the photo, but the flower has a lot of depth.

I used a snippet of left over designer paper for the bottom (I'll enter this into the Snippets Playground as well), and stamped a sentiment in old olive ink to finish.

Stamps:  Bloomin' Marvelous (SU!)
Paper:  White (C.C. Designs); Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Everyday Enchantment DP (SU!)
Ink:  Real Red, Old Olive, Calypso Coral (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Hibiscus die-cut (Memory Box), Stamp-a-ma-jig, stylus, mat, glue, adhesives and dimensionals

Stitched Thank You

Hi everyone.  I made a quick (and fun) card for today's CAS challenge at SCS (CAS245 - stitching or faux stitching).  I stamped the three flowers on the tag and then paper pieced the flower heads, adding a second layer that is shaped to give dimension.  I added a small strip of designer paper and some raffia, along with faux stitching to finish.  Fun and easy!

Here's a close-up:

... and here's a third picture that shows the dimension of the flowers:

Stamps:  Easy Events (SU!)
Paper:  White (C.C. Designs); Hello Sunshine DP (Bo Bunny)
Ink:  Black; Copics: YG95 (leaves)
Accessories & Tools:  raffia, circle punch, stylus and mat, glue, adhesives and dimensionals

Peaceful Christmas

Hi everyone.  Time for the next challenge at Merry Monday (#82).  Today it's a theme and color challenge.

I used my new stamp set from SU! called Warmth & Wonder.  I stamped the tree in Versamark onto Whisper White card stock and heat embossed in clear.  I used my brayer to add Pool Party ink for the sky.  I added water and whisper white re-inker to a toothbrush and splattered the sky with falling snow ... and ripped two pieces of white card stock for the snowbanks at the bottom.  I decorated the tree with small red rhinestones ... my circle element  :) and added a knot of twine at the top with a snowflake embellishment.  I LOVE this color combo!

Here's a close-up:

Stamps:  Warmth & Wonder (SU!); Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  White; Whisper White (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark, Pool Party (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Small snowflakes die (Impression Obsession), clear embossing powder, heat tool, rubber brayer, toothbrush, small red rhinestones, Caribbean twine (the twinery), glue, adhesives and dimensionals

I hope you'll join in our challenge this week.  Pop over to Lesley's blog (Always Playing with Paper) to see the beautiful creations from the rest of the Design Team.


I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for November - anything goes

CAS-ual Fridays (CFC#119) - embossing - I used heat embossing on the tree

Christmas Card Challenges #49 - dimension - my main panel is popped up

Snippets Playground #97 - I used snippets for my snow banks and snowflake embellishment

Simon Says - anything goes