Seeing the positive

 Today I chose to 'follow a lead', in other words take inspiration from a card posted for that purpose. I lament that all 'CASE' challenges seem to have disappeared. When they were active I was too new to card making to participate, but now I find the idea fun.

But I digress. I decided to keep the layout,  but build my own scene. I found a lovely sentiment in a stamp set that also gave me the idea for the scene. In the end I settled for my beloved cute cat stamps and small cloud+raindrop dies. 

The background was a simple three color blend. I had created a mask to protect the stamping which allowed me not to worry about getting color on the cat. I die cut the cloud and rain drops from colored papers and backed them with card stock so they would have some heft. I also added some Wink of Stella onto the rain drops and lined the cloud with it.

 

I am entering this in these lovely challenges:

AAA cards: #318 Follow my lead 

 

A Cut Above: July AG / 2 year anniversary challenge 

 

Cut it Up: #360 Create your own background 

Polkadoodles: #7 AG 

Gem of a Challenge: AG 

 

 

Just snippets

 With just how little can you make a card? My previous cards have been very labor and material intensive, it was time to try to make one with less.

A couple of challenge are very inspiring in this, the Snippets challenge and a CAS challenge. There were others, too, that I took cues from. Here is what I started with,  some gelli print remnants and a washi tape. I also wanted to use my minimal star die, it only punctures dots onto the base.

And here is what it became:

Entering it in the challenges that inspired me today:

A Place to Start: AG/ option New - I played with that option

Snippets playground: #469 December challenge

Alphabet Challenge: S is for Stars

AAA Challenge: #255 sketch - it's cold

Double Trouble partnering with Use Your Stuff #481: Challenge #155 - I am entering all three categories: die cut -check, washi tape -check, Double Dare -check.

This little happy hen says 'hello' to you

 My most recent purchase is this adorable hen stamp by Perlenfischer (here - change the language to English). Hen come to the focus of attention just about now, spring is all about new everything: new grass, new little chicks, new leaves, blooms...

I attempted two color stamping and fussy cut the image. Previously I had pulled a doily through cold coffee and let it dry. I also die cut a delicate piece of lace and some letters.

Yes! The hen is speaking Finnish - I have no idea what they would say in English. I might make another with hens speaking in several languages - that would be fun. Please let me know in comments what they say in your language.

Entering this in:

Allsorts Challenge: #670 Any "real" animals

Paperminutes: #737 Buchstaben / Letters 

Addicted to Stamps: #426 Make your mark - I hope coffee-dyed doily and two tone stamping count!

Country View: Spring is coming

AAA Challenge: #211 Anything CAS + Spring animal 

Make a wish

 A different kind of a birthday card this time. I tried to go with a restricted color palette of pebble, sand, some darker brown and black.

Again I was guided by several challenges to use watercolors, a wild animal, do stamping and make no layers. And moreover, this is a stamp purchased three years ago that I am using for the first time.

I am entering it into these nice challenges:

Bastel-Traum: #105 Wasserfarbe / Watercolours - the fish are painted with watercolors

Chocolate Baroque: AG / opt. celebrations - this is a birthday card

Daring Cardmakers: A walk on the wild side - some very wild salmon here!

AAA Cards: No layers / opt. twist 'Hugs' - I am entering without the twist

NBUS: #30 AG - both stamps are being used for the first time

It's time for clean & simple

 I have been skirting the issue of clean and simple - not sure if it's really me? I don't like to overload my cards, but I think they are usually far removed from the CAS aesthetics: lots of white empty space and one focal point.

So I just had to try it. Luckily there are a couple of challenges that kind of play together and got my creative juices flowing.

Craft card stock in a one inch strip, one skeleton leaf die cut (Craft Emotions) and TH Tiny text remnant rubs for the sentiment.

Entering this in:

Allsorts challenge: #639 CAS - clean and simple

Bastel-Traum: #104 Pflanzen Plant

Happy Little Stampers August CAS challenge: Off the edge

AAA cards: #197 One inch strip / optional colored card base 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything goes