Sunday, October 17, 2010

CAS 89 Guest Designer

Yippee!  I was chosen as a Splitcoast CAS Guest Designer for the fall, and this week is my week!  It was based on a super sketch by kstamper, a card that was already in my faves (love the hand drawn cord border and the wonderful "glow" she sponged around the bulbs).  I was a bit stumped when I sat down to make a card, so I asked my DH for some ideas.  He suggested using a branch in place of the bulbs, and then this card resulted (ok, to be honest, two and half fails resulted first, and then this card):

This card makes me want to put on my fall boots!  I started by masking the left side of the card with a 3/4 inch border.  I also masked off part of the top, just so I could eyeball the top leaves to break the border. I used PTI's Out on a Limb stamp set, and I found it easier (read: fail number one) to stamp the leaves first and then the branch.  I used SU Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, and Really Rust classic ink for the leaves, and Really Rust for the branches.
The set also comes with individual leaves, so I stamped four of those falling from the tree.  I tried to be really artsy (read: fail number two) and have one of the leaves be behind the sentiment, but it ended up looking better just above the sentiment.  After stamping the PTI Vintage Picnik Sentiments sentiment (ha) in Pumpkin Pie, I used a ruler and SU Really Rust marker to draw the border.  Fail 2.5 involved the left side not being lined up perfectly, so some of the branches came out the other side of the border.  As Ben Franklin once said, "When life gives you branches outside of the border, just make your border thicker."  Such a wise man, that Ben.
After the first card, my mojo started working on its own, so I made this one for my DH.  I masked off a 1/2 inch border all the way around the card and used a paper towel to sponge in Fresh Ink Blue Slate.  I stamped the sentiment, from PTI's Tiny Treats: Valentines, in SU Chocolate Chip, then hand drew the border with the Chocolate Chip marker.

The airplanes flying in formation are also from Tiny Treats, stamped on Riding Hood Red with Crystal Effects applied (a little silver and pink prismacolor pencils, too).  I threaded one piece of brown and white twine through the eyelets and tied the planes on, so you can pull one down and the other will go up.

I hope you're inspired to try the sketch out this week!  Thanks again to the fabulous CAS DT team for picking me as a guest designer!

(Random blog question: do you need/like/want the in-depth description of the card making?  Or should I assume I'm dealing with fairly well-educated stampers that can figure most things out on their own, besides a few supplies and such? I always say I'm not going to write a novel about a card, and then I end up with War and Peace.  I teach teenagers, so seriously, you can't hurt my feelings with your opinion on the matter!)

13 comments:

Dawn said...

Oh Meg...both are great...but the airplane one!!!! LOVE IT to pieces, I so want to CASE this!

~amy~ said...

FABulous...both of them!

Brandi Wiggins-Côté said...

Oh, Meg! These both are STUNNING! I knew you'd be chosen!! Too bad I didn't put money on it! LOL! Congrats!

Hugs,
Brandi

Jess said...

I love both of these! I think your descriptions are perfect - you don't go into excruciating detail - just enough to let me know how you made it without putting me into a coma ;)

Angela said...

Whoa, where did the time go? It's your week! Cool! Both cards are just nifty, too -- I love that they have two totally different "feels", even though they came from the same sketch!
I struggle about detail too -- and I teach WRITING, so you know I gotta hold back sometimes. I figure if nothing else, what I explain should be enough to remind myself of what I did, in case I lose my memory banging my head on a wall while grading :)
In other words, I think you're doing just fine. :)

C said...

One elegant, one adorable..great job with the sketch, Meg! Congrats on your GDT week at SCS CAS!!

Emily Keaton said...

CONGRATS on being a CAS guest designer, Meg!! You did a fantastic job with this week's challenge. I LOVE what you did with this cool sketch. Loved hearing about your {failures} and Ben F.'s suggestion to make your border thicker--wise words, those :) I agree with the others: the detail you give is fine. Remember that blogging is mostly about *you* so do whatever feels right to you--if others think there's too much detail, they'll skim for what they need. I like Angela's idea of explaining just enough "to remind myself of what I did." That's the perfect approach!! Despite your failures (or maybe because of them), these cards ROCK in a serious way :)

Emily Leiphart said...

Both of these are so fun! Is it still hot down in Alabama or can you wear your fall boots? I love the colours on the first one and the twine with shiny airplanes on the second is AWESOME! It makes me want to play with my Tiny Treats. Congrats on doing a fine job for your guest designer week - I knew you would anyway! :D

Crafty Math Chick said...

Beautiful cards meg. Congrats on being chosen at this week's CAS guest designer, what an honor! Personally, I like the deets...

Maria@Crafty Cre8tions said...

Congrats on being the CAS Guest Designer! You rocked it girl!!! WOW - Love how those leaves came out on the first card. You can totally see the 'change' of season in them. And the border is perfect!

The second card is so fun :) Love the sentiment along with the planes!!
Great job :)
Maria

Lindsey said...

These are both brilliant cards! I so love the way you did the planes with the eyelets so they can move up and down.

B said...

Oh Meg, the second one is adorable with the planes hanging from the top! So sweet! And love the leaves of the first one! :) So cool! Congrats on being the CAS Guest Designer as well!

Anonymous said...

I just stumbled upon your blog today (via SCS) and I am LOVING your talent!!! Thank you for sharing your creativity with us.