Thanks so much!

Thank you ALL for sharing this month of Spring Clean (and Simple) with me! I've had a lot of fun and I hope I inspired at least one of you to take 10 minutes to play and create.

For my last post of March, I thought I'd share a card we will be making tomorrow at our Spring Fling. It uses the Dreamweaver LL516 Bearded Iris pasted with black paste and crackle paste. The coloring uses Dreamweaver's gorgeous Color Solutions alcohol ink.

Dreamweaver LL516 Bearded Iris; Black Matte paste, Crackle Paste, Color Solutions Alcohol Ink: Thistle, Sugar Plum, Citron, Pine Bough and Gold Star; Stampin Up Sincere Salutations stamp set; Ink is VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea and die-cuts are Spellbinders.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and come on back next month to see what April showers will bring to my creations!

Hugs,
Cherylynn

A Clean Message

I began the adventure of being on the Dreamweaver Design Team with one goal in mind: to help inspire others to take the plunge and play with Dreamweaver product.

I would never consider myself a great designer or a talented artist. I can live with the fact that I make creations that are pleasing to look at. Nothing more than that.

So this last month of creating CAS (clean and simple) projects for the Dreamweaver Design challenge has been fun and fairly easy for me. I hope in someway I have inspired at least one person to look at their stencils in a different light.

With this all being said, I bring you to my "last" CAS simple card for this month. (Add footnote here, there will be many more CAS cards out of me, this is just my last "formal" one for March.)

Dreamweaver stencils used: LG687 Geese and LG696 Comfort Combo

One of the facts of life I have come to learn is that as we get older, we need less Birthday cards and more not so happy cards. So today I thought I'd share one of my favorite sympathy cards to make. Its fast, its easy and it has a very comforting feel to it.

Both the sentiment and the goose were pasted with Black Matte paste. Notice though that I only pasted 1 goose. The stencil actually has 3. By covering the "unwanted" geese with removable tape (or post-it notes), I was able to only paste one goose onto my card. I think it gives it the solemn feeling I was striving for.

Please take a moment or two and check out the other (way more talented than I) Dreamweaver Design Team members. Their links can be found in the right hand column.

And then get yourself busy and create your own CAS card and get it linked up to the Dreamweaver blog before midnight on March 31. Remember, if you can't link it up to the blog, then just email your image to Lynell and she'll upload it for you!

This month of CAS has been fun for me and I thank you for stopping by and visiting with me in cyberland!

Hugs,
Cherylynn

An Archived Dragonflly

I've got a lot going on this week so I thought I'd pull a favorite out of the archives and share it with you today.

The stamp, Dragonfly Happiness from Stamps Happen, is one that I don't use very often. I love the image but it does take a long time to color and as you might have been able to guess by now, I'm not a very patient person!

That is probably why I love this card so much. It reminds me to just breathe, take my time and enjoy the journey!

I hope you'll stop by tomorrow and check out my last Dreameaver challenge for the month of March! Yes, another CAS card!!! WOO HOO! I'll be sad when the challenge changes but I am sure it won't be the end of my clean and simple creations!

Glittered Horses

I thought I'd share another card I've been teaching in my March classes. It is really quick and easy and has such a WOW factor.

I used Dreamweaver stencil LL559 Horses with their double-sided mounting paper to do the double-glitter technique. Once you do this technique you will instantly see why its a favorite in every class I teach it in.

The background uses the Letterpress technique with Dreamweaver's new LX7009 Paisley stencil. It looks so rugged and fit the theme of the horses perfectly.

Again, clean and simple, easy to do and definitely a WOW card!

Until tomorrow, have a creatively wonderful day!

Cherylynn

Fashionista

I hope you all had a great weekend. I did. We had the Heirloom Rubber stamp convention in Portland so I spent Saturday morning with some incredible girlfriends and saw a lot of people that I only get to see once a year! Hugs were plentiful and so were smiles!

And this coming weekend looks to be more of the same! I am teaching a couple of classes in Portland to an incredible group of friends. I do this a couple of times each year and it is always filled with a lot of laughter and hugs! I am so looking forward to it. The power of female friendships is so underrated!

This is one of the cards we will be making. It uses a little bit of everything so it has something for everyone: stamps, glitter, stencils, alcohol ink, tulle...you name it!

Tim Holtz Dress form die, Dreamweaver stencils:  LJ820 Floral Lace Stencil and LJ907 Damask, Dreamweaver Darkest Brown alcohol ink, Impression Obsession Thick and Thin Cover-a-Card stamp, Stampin up Tempting Turquoise and Espresso Cardstock, Stamping Up Tempting Turquoise Ink, Vintage Photo Distress ink, Glitter Ritz glitter, Spellbinders Nestabilities.

I designed this card for a very dear friend of mine who has a birthday this week. She always is so put together. Something I seem to fail at miserably! She will be coming to the class this weekend and I hope she has as much fun making it as I did designing it with her in mind.

Hope today is the beginning of a wonderful week for all of you.

Cherylynn

A Splitcoast Challenge

Do you ever need inspiration? Splitcoaststampers challenges can be a great starting point. And I particularly love the Wednesday Sketch challenges! So to end my week of challenges I thought thats where I would start.

This week's sketch challenge features this sketch:

And since I am focusing on clean and simple creations this entire month, I came up with this:

This card is also a first! I have been HOARDING BasicGrey'sWisteria paper, afraid to use because it would then be gone. I am trying hard to get over this phobia and so I dug into this stash. I love the spring feel of this paper. Now if only the weather would cooperate and turn to spring as well!

I'm taking the weekend off from blogging. Lots to do, including spending time with my 10 week old granddaughter! If any of you are planning on going to the Heirloom Rubber Stamp Convention, remember to drop by the Stampin Cat Studio Make-n-Take table. I'll be there Saturday afternoon and Sunday working with Dreamweaver stencils, Hero Arts and Impression Obsession stamps.

Until Monday, have a great, colorful and creative weekend.

A "Shaving Cream" Cat

This card is so clean and simple but it was SO FUN to make.

As most of you know, I am a stamper and love techniques. I am not big on collage or a lot of cutting but I really love creating background papers and trying out new techniques.

So when making this card for my weekly Dreamweaver Challenge I was trying to think of some of my favorite stamping techniques that could be incorporated into my stenciling. Then it hit me:

SHAVING CREAM MARBLING!

And so here is my first attempt at the "shaving cream" technique ala Dreamweaver paste. Since it is the first full day of Spring, I went with Spring colors. The marbling doesn't photograph too well but it is really fun in person. I kept the card really very basic and simple because the marbling is so subtle that I didn't want to distract from it. What else would you have done with this image? Here is version 1, very CAS:

Dreamweaver LL3020 Sitting Cat and LG741 Cat Phrases,
White Glossy Paste and Black Matte Paste

And version 2 which just adds a strip from a sheet of Basic Grey Nook & Pantry Cookbook printed paper:

The "shaving cream" technique is very easy. I placed a "glob" (yes, thats the technical term) of white glossy paste on my non-stick craft sheet and then added drops of pigment reinkers. Without swirling it to much, I picked up the paste and spread it over my stencil. The cool part about this is technique is that because I used the Power Pasting technique, I was able to create 6 shaving cream cats before I ran out of paste.

Clean, simple, yes. Really fun to do, YES!

Now head on over to the other Dreamweaver Design Team blogs (links on the right) for more inspiration

Remember, you only have until March 31 to get your own CAS creation either linked and posted or emailed to Lynell. What are YOU waiting for?

Until tomorrow when I face another challenge!

Cherylynn

It's JustRite Clean and Simple!

In keeping with both my Clean and Simple theme and my commitment to participate in challenges, today I bring you a card that does both!

JustRite's blog hosts Friday challenges and this week the challenge is a color challenge to use black and white with only color. Usually I would always run to red for this combination but today, since its the first official day of Spring, I thought I would go with a calming Spring blue/green. And since the color was calming, I thought the entire theme should be calming and comforting as well.

Stamps used: JustRite Thinking of You Set and JustRite Lace Borders Two

Tomorrow will be my weekly Dream Team post, which will also be clean and simple. I hope you'll join me and the other Dreamweaver Designers in this weekly challenge.

Hugs and happy creating,
Cherylynn

Spring is in the Air Challenge

I am going to call this Challenge Week! I am feeling to do some "spring cleaning" of my creativity and there is no better way to refresh and rejuvenate than to challenge yourself. So this week I am going to participate in a different challenge each day.

For this first day of my Challenge Week, I am joining Impression Obsession's Spring is in the Air Challenge.




Impression Obsession stamps used: G5561 Silhouette 11, B8387 Relaxing Day,
CAC027 Flourishes and CAC047 Distressed Corduroy

A clean and simple card. That seems to be my go to style. I think it is because my "day life" is always filled with chaos so when I create, I go to clear my head and my creations reflect that.

Hope you'll join me in participating in challenges this week. They are a lot of fun!

Until tomorrow, hugs and Happy Spring (almost!)

Cherylynn

Classic and Elegant for Mom

So yesterday when I shared with you this CAS card:

I promised that I would show a very similar card that uses one of the new 2012 stencils today. So, here, using almost the identical layout as yesterdays card and just changing up the colors and the sentiment, I bring  you LX7010 Flower Quatrefoil.

The only thing that is really different is that since this stencil is larger, I made the background image larger and after machine embossing the stencil, I dabbed Stewart Stamp and Stick Glue over the openings and then lightly brushed on Dreamweaver Pixie Dust Metallic F/X.

This card maybe took a total of 10 minutes. Don't you have ten minutes sometime between now and the end of the month to create your own art for the Dreamweaver blog challenge?

I'll be back on Monday and I hope you'll joing me as I share some new projects I have done using Impression Obsession, Just Rite and Stampendous stamps in addition to some new creations using Dreamweaver stencils.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Cherylynn

Classic Clean and Simple

In keeping with Dreamweaver's Clean and Simple Challenge this month, I thought I would share with you a very classic Clean and Simple card that can be used for a variety of occasions.

I think making the card took less than 5 minutes to make. It took longer to add the brown pearls than it did to do everything else combined.

Although the colors don't show well, this is my "Go To" color as of late: aqua and brown. It is so rich and fresh looking.

Okay, I know there are some of you out there that is saying, "Hey, I can do this with my score board." I own every score board ever made so I say this from experience. Yes, you can do this with a score board. BUT can you do it in one pass through your Cuttlebug/Big Shot/Wizard and in less than 10 seconds? And can you do it without having to measure,move your cardstock or read the little tick marks on a ruler? And can you do it and get even pressure everywhere? And can  you do it without tearing through your cardstock in at least one area? Well, if you said yes to all of the above, then you are way better with your scoreboard than I will ever be! Thats why I love using my stencil for this technique!!!

Unfortunately after I made this card I realized this stencil LG618 has been discontinued. I am so glad I have mine and will definitely be hanging on to it. I bet there are some very lucky local stores that still have this in stock so if you see it, you better grab it because it truly is a keeper!

UPDATE: I JUST REALIZED THAT YOU CAN GET THIS STENCIL IN A LARGER FORMAT! WHEN IT WAS DISCONTINUED, IT WAS RELEASED IN A LARGER FORMAT AS LJ882! THAT'S EVEN BETTER BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE A LARGER AREA TO WORK WITH. HOW COOL IS THAT?!

And to make up my goof on posting with a discontinued stencil, I hope you'll come back tomorrow for a NEW card that showcases a NEW 2012 stencil!

Need more CAS ideas to help inspire you to create your own piece for the Dreamweaver challenge? Then head on over to the other Dreamweaver Design Team blogs. You can find the links on the right. They really are very talented group and I am honored to be on the Dream Team with them.

Until tomorrow, hugs and happy creating!

Cherylynn

Hippity Hoppity Happy Easter

Easter is just a few weeks away so I thought I had better get a couple more cards done! I usually don't do "cute" but I love this bunny image from Printworks along with the sentiment.

Just a fun card. Nothing spectacular yet it still puts a smile on my face. And in the end, isn't that why we do this stuff?

Twinkling Magic

For my last CAS card of the week I thought I'd leave you with a thought to ponder over the weekend!

Another of my "go to" techniques when my creativity is in a slump is to pull out my Twinkling H2Os and make watercolor backgrounds to be used a later date. Playing with color and shimmering color at that just seems to rev up my mojo.

And that is exactly how this card originated.

All I did was take some background papers I had in my stash, stamped a very empowering sentiment on it. I then stamped, gold-embossed and painted the flower embellishment with Twinklings as well.

Very simple but a great encouragement card!

Hugs and have a great weekend. Mine is filled with teaching, househunting and normal weekend chores. I actually think I am looking forward to Monday so I can rest!!!

Cherylynn

Strength

Welcome to Dreamweaver Thursday!

Since I love Dreamweaver's March Challenge theme of CAS (Clean And Simple), I am just going to keep going with it!

Today I am sharing a card I made for a special friend who has more to deal with in life than I can comprehend. She has incurable cancer. The good part is that it is very slow growing. The bad part is that she has to live every day knowing that it is growing inside of her and will someday take her life.

If you didn't know her story, you would never know what she is living with. She is such an upbeat positive person, a role model and mentor for me. Her strength is inspiring and so to let her know how much she means to me, I made this card for her.

Dreamweaver LL3024 Cherry Blossom and LS69 Strength Character

Both stencils, LL3024 Cherry Blossom Shape and LS69 Strength character are from Dreamweaver Stencils. The strength character was paste embossed with matte black paste on a white linen cardstock. And the Cherry Blossom shape was done using the double-glitter technique on Dreamweaver's Double-sided Mounting Paper.

(If you haven't tried the double-glitter technique, I highly recommend it. There is something very therapeutic about playing with and rubbing your fingers all through a pile of glitter!)

This card was very quick and easy to make. And since I was making it with someone in mind, it made my heart happy while creating it!

Why don't you take just a few minutes sometime this month and make a CAS card for someone who inspires you? And before you send it off, remember to take a picture so you can enter it in Dreamweaver's Monthly Challenge. Wouldn't that be the ultimate? Creating a card for someone and winning a prize for doing it!

Need some additional inspiration, check out the other Dream Team blogs. You'll be glad you did!!!

Dream It Up! blog

Pam Hornschu

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy

Wendy Jordan

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren

Georgia Sommers

Lee Kellogg

Liz Martin

Cyndi Bundy

Jessie Hurley

Hugs and happy creating. I hope you'll stop by tomorrow to see what other CAS project I have come up with!

Cherylynn

Springtime Magic

Last night was really cold here in Portland. The temperature dropped below freezing. Yet today, our high temperature should reach the mid-50s! That can only mean spring is on its way! So today I thought I'd share a fun card celebrating the magic of spring!!!

As you can tell, I'm still focusing on CAS (clean and simple) cards in keeping with the Dreamweaver March challenge (and because are so quick and easy to do!)

Don't you love the way I used the Dreamweaver LL514 Vertical Butterfly stencil to create an embellishment rather than just be the entire focus of the card. These stencils are so versatile! If you haven't tried playing with them yet you don't know what you're missing!

I hope you'll stop by tomorrow and check out all of the Dream Team weekly challenges. You won't be disappointed!

Until tomorrow, think spring!!!
Cherylynn

Easter Greetings

One of the great things about creating cards is that there are always upcoming holidays to inspire you! And since Easter is just about a month away, I thought I'd get started on making a handful of cards to send to my long-distance relatives.

The image is from Magenta and truly timeless! I love stamps that I can use year after year and never tire of them!

The images are colored with pencils (I know there is a lot of fuss on how great Copic markers are, and they probably are! BUT I still LOVE using my Primacolor pencils with Gamsol. I have so much control and it is so fast.)

What about you? What's your favorite way to color images? My two favorites are pencils and Twinkling H2Os!

Until tomorrow, hugs and happy creating,

Cherylynn

Blooming Flowers

I had a GREAT class this past weekend at Stampin' Cat in Salem sharing my love of Dreamweaver stencils with a really fun group. I'm looking forward to doing the same next weekend at Karen and Friends!

Since I was tired and most of my Dreamweaver supplies were still unpacked from teaching, I thought I'd pull out my other love, STAMPS!!! and create a quick and fun card. And that is exactly what I did.

When my creative "mojo" leaves me, as it usually does once a year, I tend to resort to this technique to get the juices flowing again. It ALWAYS works. Just pull 2-3 stamps of varying sizes and the same colors of complementary inks. I usually start with my largest images and fill in at the end with the smallest. Whole card takes minutes to complete!

Okay, I've stalled long enough. Time to unpack the "suitcase" and 4 boxes of class supplies, clean them up and repack for this weekend. Oh well, I love teaching so its all worth it.

If friends were flowers...

In keeping with the Dreamweaver CAS challenge month, I used a fun sentiment from Amuse and combined it with one of my all-time favorite stencils from Dreamweaver for a really, really quick and easy card.

It's LL370 Lily O'Valley and its one of my faves because that's the flower for May which just happens to be my Birthday month. (And those of you who know me, know I LOVE MY BIRTHDAY!).

I just stenciled pigment ink over the stencil in a rouging motion with my stencil brushes and then overstamped the sentiment with Versafine Olympia Green.

How much simpler could a card get? I think it took me a whole 10 minutes from start-to-finish! I know everyone is really busy BUT when you can do a card as cute as this in 10 minutes, how can you NOT enter the Dreamweaver Challenge this month? It's really a no-brainer! So skip playing one game of Words with Friends and go create something. You'll feel so good afterwards. I promise you!

I'm off to teach at Stampin Cat tomorrow and Sunday I have my "sleep study"! Should be an interesting weekend. I'll be back on Monday with another CAS creation because all I've got this weekend is 10 minutes!

Hugs,
Cherylynn

A New Month, A New Challenge

After the Dreamweaver Stencils' February challenge of St. Pat's or Green, are you a little tired of green? Then this month provides the opportunity of doing any color you wish...including green.

However, you have to keep it clean...and simple! Yep. We are challenging you to create with your Dreamweaver products in a CAS style. This is our way of encouraging you to begin your "Spring Cleaning" a little early, and far more fun than sorting cupboards and washing windows!

I love clean and simple cards because they force me to focus on the focal point and the technique. There is not much room for error or "opportunities for embellishment". Today's card is just that: clean and simple with a focus on the technique.

The LG668 Dogwood stencil was first embossed with the original matte Dreamweaver paste. Once it dried, I painted over the embossed image with Twinkling H2Os (another favorite of mine)! Yes! You read that right, you can watercolor over your embossed imaged. Doesn't that open up even more doors for you and your creativity?!!! And the subtle shimmer from the "twinks" perfectly complements the beautiful stencil image.

Now it's your turn to play! Create your own Clean and Simple design (preferably with Dreamweaver Stencils' products) and link it to the Dream It Up! blog from your own blog, online gallery, or just send us an email to Lynell with a picture of your creation for her to show off on the blog. At the end of March, two winners will be selected to each win these stencils:

LJ899-Lrg. Thinking of You

LG742-Pointed Celtic Knot

For more inspiration, please visit the other Dream Team blogs...and please leave comments, we love that!

Dream It Up! blog

Pam Hornschu

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy

Wendy Jordan

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren

Georgia Sommers

Lee Kellogg

Liz Martin

Cyndi Bundy

Jessie Hurley

Curious as to who won last month's challenge? Anne Temple won for the best version of the challenge, and Sue Petersen won for the best use of Dreamweaver Stencils' product for the challenge! Congrats, ladies! And I personally will be sending a prize to Angela V. as well because she responded to my personal request for players!!!

Thanks for playing with us, and we hope to see more from all of our previous players!

Okay now go start doing some CAS creations! You know you can!!! I'll be back tomorrow and I hope you will too!

Cherylynn