Hello and Happy New Year! I hope you bid a fine farewell to 2021 as we look straight ahead to 2022. The cue this month is CAS which stands for “clean and simple.” The best part about this cue, less is more. Most cards in this category I have found to be quick and easy to complete. A few guidelines when making my cards I followed were…leave a large amount of blank space, few layers, and little to no embellishments. Believe you me, it was not easy. I may just have to sneak a few burlap string and glitter on some of these cards when no one is looking!
Card #1
1. I stamped the image on heavy white card stock with Versafine ink. To create dimension, I unevenly applied ink to the stamp.(darker on the sides of each lantern) 2. Next I die cut the image at an angle on a square dotted die. 3. Then I cut a square to create a fine red border. 4. I stamped the sentiment on a strip of black cardstock and heat embossed it with Ranger gold embossing powder. 5. Finally I glued it all together to complete the card.
Card #1 (b)
1. I heat embossed the image with Ranger gold embossing powder. 2. Next I die cut it out with a Gina Marie dotted rectangular die. 3. I glued the die on the center of the card in landscape orientation. 4. Finally I stamped the sentiment in red ink.
Card #1 (c)
1. I stamped the image directly on the cardbase making sure the ends of the image go off the page. 2. Next I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with Stampstruck gold sparkly embossing powder. 3. I die cut the sentiment with the square dotted die and cut a fine layer border of red to go under it. 4. Finally I adhered the pieces together and that was it!
Card #2
I love this tiny image with a huge message! Colored pencils on kraft are pure magic. The colors seem to glow and illuminate on contact.
1. I die cut the stitched circle border on kraft. 2. Next I lightly penciled in where the circle will be placed on the card base. 3. Then I stamped the image with Versafine Ink and colored it with Berol Prismacolor pencils. Erase the pencil marking. 4. Finally I stamped the sentiment on the front and adhered it to the base.
Card #3
1. First I attached the image to my Misti platform. Using four colors, I inked various parts of the image and repeatedly stamped the image. 2. Next I stamped the sentiment three times with different inks and the third I embossed with silver powder allowing the powder to also adhere to part of the heart image. 3. I added a splatter stamp on the top left and bottom of the image. 4. Finally I mounted the image on a white card base.
Card #4
1. I stamped the image with Versafine ink and heat embossed it with Brutus Monroe alabaster powder. 2. Next I painted it with distress ink. I painted over it many times to keep the dark color on the edges. This is to define the lines and add contrast. 3. Then I stamped the sentiment with Stampin’ Up basic gray ink. 4. Finally I mounted it on a white card base.
Card #5
1. I stamped the lightbulb on white cardstock with Versafine Ink. 2. Next I fussy-cut it out and sponged a bit of yellow ink on the filament of the bulb. 3. Then I stenciled the sun rays in with the same yellow ink. It had a bit of orange still left on the sponge from past blending! 4. After that, I masked off part of the sentiment, arranged it on the Misti and stamped it down. I repeated this step with the lower half of the sentiment. 5. Finally I adhered the lightbulb to the card!
Here is the list of the Friends of Unity blog links. Just click on the next person and it will take you right to their blog.
Thank you so much for hopping with us! Please don’t forget to leave a comment. I will draw a random person from the comments to receive a “thank you” prize. The winner will be announced on next month’s post.
Now to announce the winner from December….Jenni Shamblin! Congratulations Jenni, please message me your mailing address!
I so enjoyed the clean and simple cue. It’s refreshing getting back to basics and nice when wanting to make multiple cards. Also a true time saver with most of these cards too. Please let me know your thoughts and which one is your favorite. It would be fun to hear your least favorite too!
Please visit me on Instagram and TikTok @cardartbyrachel for short, fun process videos.
Have a wonderful start to the new year. May you be safe and healthy as we navigate through these winter months!
Rachel
Blue Skies... 
I love all of these!! i love a great C&S card! I think #3 the butterfly is my favorite!! Although the yellow light bulb and the first lantern card are a close second/third! I’m super surprised to see my name down here at the bottom! š Thanks so much!!
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Gorgeous cards – all of them! I LOVE LOVE LOVE that lightbulb card – so bright and happy!
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Wow! All your cards are stunning! I particularly like the way you have stamped the lanterns on an angle,- gives a different look to the stamp set
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I just LOVE all of these cards – hard to pick a favorite, although I will tell you that little bird on a hill is now in my shopping cart – bonus that it’s on sale, too! I would love to know what kit Card#3 is from. ā¤
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This Michigan kid knows the love you send behind the snow safely wish.. you too! Hey, I saw the books right away (and I am not an avid reader), love that result, it’s really stunning and I must try it. Gosh the bird and bulb are really fun. Need a card for someone having surgery MONDAY.. and struggling to find an image… light bulb moment for sure and will use the bulb idea stat!! Holy moly such great inspiration! Thanks.
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Wow, lots of great ideas here and you did such a great job on the CAS theme. I know what you mean about adding ‘something’ at a later date … I do that after entering it in a challenge – usually because that little extra something it needed just wouldn’t come to me at the time of the challenge! lol Being a bird nerd, that card is my favorite!!
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Clean and simple seems to be your talent and I love them all! My favorite ones though, are the new year designs with the lanterns. The string of lanterns just call for a CAS card!
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I loved every one of your gorgeous creations. I honestly have never colored on craft paper with my pencils. You have INKspired me to give it a try! I really loved how vibrant the color was. And those lanterns! What a perfect way to showcase that stamp! Beautiful cards!
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Wow, Rachel, you always amaze me with all the cards you create for our hops!! The lantern cards and the lightbulb card are amazing! This Kraft loving gal adores your birdie card… SO cute! The butterfly card is so pretty… but I think the happy place book card is my absolute favorite!! I love the white heat embossed image and the colors!!
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Amazing cards. I really like
the first one with the touch
of red and the cute birdie
card.
Carla from Arizona
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Love your cards. I like the way you should a variety of the lantern cards. It’s fun to use a stamp in different ways. TFS.
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Beautiful cards! Love that little bird. š
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Wow! You gave us so many examples on CAS! All are so very different from the others. I especially like #2 & 4. The colors and images speak to me. Well done!!
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Lovely cards! So much variety – I love them all. Thanks for the inspiration, I’m going to try out my prisma pencils on kraft right now!
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Wonderful set of CAS cards. My favorite is the one with the little bird.
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Love, love, love the girl with the books and the bird one, but all so cute!!
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Wow, so many CAS cards. So much inspiration!! You know I absolutely love the bird on kraft. Swoon.
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Rachel, I love all your cards, but the butterfly and bird cards are really speaking to me! Thanks for all the inspiration!
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CAS is very difficult for me too but I love the heart card that you were unsure of! I may try that!!
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Gorgeous cards with great techniques. TFS
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I follow you on TikTok! I love the butterfly card! Iām an overworked nurse, burned out artist and just starting out in card making just to keep the creativity in check. Hopefully I can add some stamps to my collection!
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