Quick, clean and simple (CAS) card

This is such a quick and simple card that took 5 minutes to make.

I cut a piece of patterned paper (from my much-loved but barely used stash) to a size slightly smaller than my folded card.

I then punched out the label shape from one corner, and used a paper piercer and template to pierce around the recess.

I used this frame to stamp the sentiment  through onto the card itself.

I mounted the card on foam pads to give a slight raise, and then stamped and punched the teensy butterfly to stick to the corner. A few bits of sparkle, and job done.

 A really quick and easy go-to design for last minute "I forgot it was *insert name here*'s birthday/anniversary/job interview" card - just change the sentiment, and off you go!

I used:

(Check out next week for a punch review Martha Steward vs Stampin' Up.)

Are you a "Clean and Simple" card maker, or do you like a bit of frills and fancy? Or, if you haven't made your own cards before, what would encourage you? Do tell!

A secret mission from the no-stress scrapper

So, there I was, browsing my email the other day when I got a request from Shimelle Laine. She was wanting to host an inspiration party on her blog this weekend, and was looking for some contributions. I was very honoured to be asked to contribute, and I was sent an assignment forthwith. Be warned if you've come here from Shimelle.com: my photos are in no way as arty and beautiful as all the other party-ers, though I am working on it :)

I tried printing out the cupcakes and one of the quotes on shrink plastic, but the only stuff I had was clear - the ink on the cupcakes was taking AGES to dry, and I'm really not that patient!

Shrinking them resulted in a bit of a messy mini-cupcake fob, which, though still useable (only just - see keyring) was not what I wanted. So I traced the original cupcake onto the plastic, dabbed white opaque StazOn over the back, and then coloured the front in with my alcohol markers.



These shrunk really nicely, so I threaded them onto a ball-chain and used this to hold my second project together. This project (a minibook) involved lots of copies of a journaling tag printed out onto cream card: I then cut then out and punched a hole in the top left corner. Easy peasy. I'm going to pick out a selection of my favourite indulgent recipes, and write them in the minibook, probably with a photo on the left-hand page.


The cover of the minibook has a cut-out chocolate cupcake stuck on it and a shrink-plastic "indulge" title, also found on the printables sheet.


So, onto the card. Cupcakes, and lots of them, deserve to be presented nicely, and so I cut a cake stand out of some white card, keeping it simple, drew a brown rim on the plates, chose some co-ordinating paper, glued it all down, added the "indulge" title and voila! One tasty-looking card.


Then finally to the easiest project of the lot. This photo:


I enlarged the printables file (opened in Adobe Photoshop Elements, not in Adobe Acrobat), and copied the cupcake quote that I wanted. This was then placed on a new layer of the photo, printed out to A4 and framed. Job's a good 'un!

It's been so useful to have this challenge, it's given me loads of ideas for future projects, but alas, there was only so much time to spend crafting this week. Mind you, I think that 4 projects in about 6 hours is pretty good. So, cruise on by Shimelle's blog this weekend, take a look at all the other blogs that she's linking to. Who knows what you might find? And if you can't make that, maybe I'll see you in the classroom for Go To Press!

Are you joining us?

I feel oh so privileged to have been asked to contribute to Shimelle's inspiration party this weekend, as part of the pre-class fun. She's asked many, many talented scrappers and crafters to join the fun, and now we'd like you to join us too, for a weekend of "challenges with a chance to win a prize, free downloads for both digital and paper scrapbookers, new projects, tutorials, bargains and some surprises along the way." Read all about it HERE!