ATSM #319 - CAS

It's time for another Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge.  This time it's all about CAS (clean & simple).  While it's fun to put together a really detailed and layered card, sometimes it's great to see how much impact you can have by keeping it rather clean and simple.

When I saw the adorable snowmen created by Bonnie Krebs for Art Impressions, I knew I had to have the set.  It's perfect for this challenge, too.  I decided to use the image of the joy-filled snowman, skating along and using Christmas lights as a banner.  I knew he'd be fun to colour and decided that the "Oh What Fun!" sentiment included in the set would be perfect.  With all the wonderful details and the amount of colouring, this worked perfectly as a single layer added to a base.  For that base, I used the brand new Gorgeous Grape colour and love it!  It compliments the same colour which I used for his vest.  

I used a watercolour wash of Balmy Blue for the ice.  Before I added the wash, I sketched a few lines to show blade marks on the ice with my glaze pen and those lines did not take on the colour.  Love that!  

Check out the awesome creations by the rest of the Design Team and link up your card HERE.

I've also entered my card in the following:

Crafty Sentiments Designs - Snowman

Stamping Sensations November Challenge - Get Ready for Christmas

WWC196 - Heidi's "All About Occasions" Challenge

I'm so glad that we're having our "All About Occasions" challenge this week.  It gave me the perfect opportunity to use Gina Marie's wonderful layered stamping set, Tabby Cat.  I thought it would be fun used for an anniversary card.

What I love best about this stamp set is that with each layer stamped, more detail appears in the image until, when one is finished, it looks absolutely realistic.  Isn't that a wonderfully stamped tabby cat?  I love it!  I chose to use a base of Heavy Very Vanilla and then added a layer of Poppy Parade.  On top of that I added a retired piece of the Naturals Ivory cardstock (love those little flecks in it, don't you?)  But first I ran that cardstock through the lovely Basket Weave Dynamic embossing folder.

Then I cut out a heart from a piece of Poppy Parade cardstock, using Sunshine Wishes Thinlits.  The red really showed off the cat well, didn't it?  To anchor my cat, I stamped the sentiment onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and then cut it out using one of my stitched rectangle dies. and then had the cat sitting on it.

I hope you'll check out the awesome creations by the other Watercooler Artists over at our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge blog.

I've also entered this creation in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #80 - Anything Goes

Show Us Your Pussycats Challenge #36 - Furrything Goes